On the Horizon: The Bloodlust Chapters
by KamikazeKitten425
Summary: Although this is labeled as a Kingdom Hearts fan fiction but it takes place in the world of Hellsing. ...Refer to the Descent into Darkness Chapters for an idea of whats going on.
1. Chapter 1

ON THE HORIZON-THE BLOODLUST CHAPTERS: #1

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This is a part of the OTH fanfic that takes place quite a ways after my last chapter… I wanted to write this part in advance because I'm In the midst of a Hellsing fandom and if I didn't my head would have asploded O-o

Rated M for strong language and sexual content

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Anna awoke in a daze. She was lying in a cot in what looked to be a small room in a cabin. It was quite dark. She could smell rotten sea water on her clothes. She attempted to get up but every muscle in her body was aching. She lay back with a painful hiss and shut her eyes. She remembered swimming, a lot, it was exhausting. She remembered seeing a dark shore in the distance then everything had gone black. Her hand suddenly flew to her chest. She breathed a sigh of relief, her necklace was still there. She attempted to get up again and this time she managed to sit up before her muscles stopped her from making any more movements. She rested again, and then swung her legs over the side of her cot. After which she gently stood on her feet. She looked out the window and saw a road leading away from the cabin through a long field.

She saw Nema in its holster on a nearby end table. She picked up the sword and examined it. Both the pieces were there on the hilt, the Spartan crest, and the biohazard symbol from the anti T-virus container. She wasn't sure what the biohazard symbol would summon, but she decided not to test it at the moment. There was one more space on the hilt directly below the blade. This world must have been where she would find her last piece to complete the blade. It didn't matter though; she had more pressing matters at hand. She was now without her ship. She was stuck on this world until someone would come to find her or she found a way to communicate back to traverse town. Sephiroth had tricked her, she followed his trail of darkness to his world and then she was surprise attacked by the heartless as if they knew he was there. She shouldered Nema and limped out of the room with a huff.

There was a small kitchen and a dining table outside her room as well as a staircase that led up to a closed door. Anna didn't want to wake anyone up, especially if they took the time to save her life. She did want to show her gratitude somehow. She suddenly noticed an open bread box on the counter, with large roles in it. They looked quite delicious making Anna realize how hungry she was. She saw an empty leather bag on the coat hook. She reached in her coat and withdrew her munny pouch. This time it had turned into a fabric wallet similar to the one it took the form of in Raccoon City, the currency the munny took the shape of was also in similar paper bill form except they were different colors. She took out two bills with 100 labeled on them and left them on the table in plain sight. Then she grabbed the bag, wrapped up a few rolls, stuffed them in the bag and headed to the fridge. She grabbed some cheese and two bottles of water and placed them in the bag as well. She figured she was stuck here for a while so she might as well make her way to the nearest town and look for a place to stay while she looked for something to do to make money.

She silently opened the back door and crept out. The cabin was perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. That made sense. She must have washed up on the shore down there and whoever lived in this cabin must've found her. Anna shut her eyes and let the cool ocean breeze blow through her hair. She breathed the fresh air deeply. It had been a while since she had taken a moment like this to stop and look around she slipped the gemstone on her necklace between her fingers, playing with it absentmindedly. Suddenly she felt a blinding pain in her leg. She gave a small yelp and fell to the ground. The T virus may not have killed her but it certainly liked to torture her. She grasped her leg where the scar of the dog bite still was plainly visible. Her grip was stronger than she realized and before she knew it the pain had ceased and her fingertips were coated in blood. She cursed quietly to herself.

She may have been imagining it but she could have sworn she saw a wolf near her moments earlier. Whatever it was, it wasn't there anymore. The bleeding on her leg had stopped. Her blood clotted much faster now. In fact, her wounds healed faster too. By all rights the scar on her leg should have still been a bloody scab. It had only been a few days since she received the bite. Alice had mentioned the T-virus mutating her body, making it stronger. Was that happening to Anna too? She didn't even need the antivirus, she wasn't contagious and she had just ripped her own leg open; something she had never done before. Even her aching muscles were aching no more.

Anna decided to test herself. She dug her hand into the solid ground beneath her and retrieved a massive clump of dirt. _Okay so maybe the soil was soft…_ she tried to tell herself. She stood up trying not to panic. She felt somewhat dizzy and a low growl erupted from the bottom of her throat. _The hell was that?_ She asked herself shaking off the daze. Anna suddenly heard Alice's voice in her head.

"_They did something to me… I barely feel human anymore."_

What the hell was happening to her? Was it because an infected _dog_ bit her? Was she becoming some kind of weird werewolf? _No. werewolves were undead_… she checked her pulse, she was still alive. She could still feel the cool ocean breeze on her skin, which was enough.

She sprinted to the road. It was just her imagination; she wasn't turning into anything, not like Alice, or…

She stopped. She suddenly realized she had sprinted quite a ways down the road and she wasn't even breathing heavily. _That's weird… _She thought. No, she was just getting more in shape, it didn't mean anything. She shook her head and looked around. She could see a glow of light past a few of the rolling hills before her. It was a ways but that had to be a town. She began her long walk down the road. She kept her pace at a steady fast-walk. She crowned the first hill and felt a little change in her breathing but not too much.

There was a sudden flash in her mind's eye and she saw a wolf with bared teeth in front of her for a moment. She cried out and fell back. She shook her head; she was alone atop a dark hill on a small road. The stars in the sky were veiled in places she couldn't even see the moon. There was nothing here. She was imagining it. She stood up. Just to be safe she decided to jog a bit. She noticed a sign on the side of the road that read:

Route 17 South.

After that she had no more strange occurrences. She eventually ran out of breath and had to start walking, but it sure as hell took a while. She reached the town a little while after daybreak. It was a nice place, café's cobblestone streets, neat little shops, and restaurants. Nothing was open, there was a dim morning mist enveloping the town. The streets were abandoned. Anna decided to find a hotel or inn that was open. She had plenty of Munny but she didn't want to run out fast so she decided to look for a rather cheap one. She may be without a source of cash for a while.

As she made her way down the street a door opened in front of her. She stopped in her tracks. A tall, tan woman with long platinum blonde stepped in front of her. She wore large round glasses and a green business suit. She looked to be in her mid to late twenties. She was smoking a small cigar and was being tailed by three other people. The first was an old dark haired man in a ponytail who was dressed in a black and white tuxedo. He was most likely the woman's butler because he was helping her put her coat on. Another was a voluptuous girl in her early twenties with light skin, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. She was dressed a yellow police uniform that consisted of a police coat, a mini skirt, long white stalkings and boots. She was followed by an incredibly tall man in a bright red trench coat covering a solid black tuxedo. He also wore a matching red hat with a large brim. Under the hat Anna could see long black locks of hair and round sunglasses perched on a long, thin face. Despite his thin face the man was grinning widely, it was a sinister smile and seemed almost physically impossible. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties; only a few years older than Anna. A police officer followed them.

"Make sure to keep an eye on the hotels. I heard they tend to attack civilians in hotels if they can't find residential districts." Said the officer to the leading woman.

_Wonderful…_ Anna thought to herself. _A serial killer who attacks hotels… __what a time to arrive here looking for a hotel…_

Anna suddenly became aware of the fact that all five of them had turned to look at her. The tall man's smile had faded a little. Anna couldn't see his eyes from behind his sunglasses but she could feel his gaze like an icy blade piercing her between her eyes. The younger woman seemed curious and kept looking from her comrades to Anna and back again. The older woman surveyed Anna, measuring her up it seemed. The butler was smiling at Anna but she wasn't sure if it was a sincere one or not. Anna realized why they were looking at her. Her clothes were quite different from anything they had probably seen before. They were ratty and dirty as well. She was also sporting a large sword over her back; she must have looked quite suspicious, and or ridiculous. Anna's face flushed crimson in an instant.

"S-s'cuse me." she murmured weakly, looking down at her feet.

The butler graciously stepped out of Anna's way with a flourish of his arm. At the same time the tall man grabbed the younger woman by the collar of her jacket and yanked her out of the way as well.

"Hey!" she yelped.

"Learn your manners Police Girl…" The tall man said.

His voice was, strong, deep and malicious. Despite this Anna couldn't help but feel a small flutter in her chest at the sound. It was as if she had just heard her favorite instrument play a creepy song. Was her face getting redder? Before she could look any more foolish she dashed past them and rounded the corner. She slowed to a gentile walk and listened to the conversation of the people as they walked away.

"Curious woman wasn't she?" Said one man. Anna figured it was the butler.

The tall man grunted.

"You think she was one of the murderers?" Asked the Police Girl.

"No." Said the older woman. "You heard her voice. She wasn't British; our witness claimed they were a young _British_ couple. If they didn't have our accent the witness would have told us that."

"Is she American?" Asked the Police Girl.

The rest of the conversation Anna couldn't hear, she was too far away. _What was American?_ She wondered.

She decided to keep looking for a hotel anyways. She could defend herself if anyone tried to kill her. It wasn't until after an hour of walking she found a good place with a reasonable price per night. She checked in (after a small debate about her weapon, which ended in her plea to let her defend herself from the serial killers.) and made her way to her room. She took a long nap before leaving her sword under her bed and heading back out to town. She found a clothes shop. It had a decent assortment of clothes, and two hours later Anna walked out with a few new outfits in hand. She returned to her hotel room, took a shower, and dressed herself properly. She decided to find a place to eat because by then it was late afternoon and she had only eaten a single roll with cheese today on the road, so she was quite hungry.

She walked to a popular looking restaurant. The food there seemed strange but she decided that it wouldn't hurt to try. She was seated at a table outside the restaurant under an umbrella. It was a nice, warm evening so Anna was happy to sit there. While she ate she surveyed the crowds. She wasn't sure what she was looking for though. Sephiroth maybe? Or perhaps that tall man again. She wondered why he was still on her mind. He was quite intimidating and even creepy. Still, there was something about him she couldn't put her finger on.

Anna suddenly felt the hair on her neck stand up. As if her thoughts of him had called him, he was looking at her, she could tell. But from where? She looked around and her eyes landed on him. He was across the street with his comrades she had seen before. They were walking down the sidewalk but he had stopped. He wasn't wearing his sunglasses this time, no they were in his hand. He had taken them off… to look at her? Anna put her fork down returning his gaze. Their eyes met. His eyes were red, they made Anna freeze in her seat, she had never seen eyes like that before; but this gaze seemed familiar somehow… Sephiroth had looked at her like that before… he no longer had that wide grin on his face. No, it was stern. Anna's heart was pounding hard in her chest. Neither of them blinked. Anna could feel her face going red again. As soon as she realized this she broke their eye contact and tried to hide her face. She could feel his eyes still upon her.

Then, without warning, Anna suddenly saw the wolf in her mind's eye again. This time it was leaping at her, its teeth glistening with blood. Anna cried out and fell out of her chair. She hit her head on the cobblestones beneath her and as she lifted herself up she felt a warm liquid running down her face. She touched it and looked at her hand. It was blood.

"Goodness miss!" a woman from a nearby table said while helping her up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm fine…" mumbled Anna.

"Oh god you're bleedin'!" Said the woman grabbing some tissues out of her pocket.

She handed them to Anna who took them graciously.

"Thank you…" Said Anna dabbing her face and head with the tissue.

Anna glanced across the street. The man was gone. She breathed a sigh; the waitresses and waiters we all gathering around her now asking if her chair had broken or something was wrong with the table. They didn't believe that she didn't know what happened, and the manager of the restaurant came out to personally apologize to her. They wanted to call the hospital about her head but it had stopped bleeding not long before the manager came out. She got them to stop fussing by asking them to wrap up her meal and let her head back to her hotel. They refused to accept any of her money and said it was on them. She didn't argue and before long she was finishing her meal in her hotel room. Not before she washed her face and hair though. It was weird, she barely felt the cut on her head and even after such a bang she felt no pain. Normally something like that would cause at least a headache…

Anna spent some time cleaning, polishing, and sharpening her sword before she changed into her brand new nightgown, it was pure white silk with spaghetti straps and it ended mid thigh. She slipped into her bed and after a while of tossing and turning with the images of those red eyes flashing through her mind she drifted off to sleep. His face… so stern, intent… then there was the wolf. Anna was standing in the middle of frozen tundra. The wind whipped her face but she felt only a bit cold. The wolf sat before her, one eye was green, the other: red. It growled bearing its fangs… a chunk of its snout was missing; there was blood all around it. Anna tried to back away but she wasn't able to move. Sheer terror was beginning to creep up her spine. The wolf snarled and got to its feet. Anna was shaking, her eyes widening. The hair on the wolf's back was standing on end. It began to approach her. Anna gave a weak, helpless cry. Then a woman's voice in her ear whispered:

"You're not afraid are you?"

Anna's eyes shot open. She was wrapped up in her covers to the point in which she could barely move. The window was wide open and a heavy wind was blowing in. she was alone in her room. Whoever was the source of the voice must have just been in her dream… the woman's voice sounded so familiar. Almost as if… it was her… mother? Of course, her mother would say something like that! But the remark wasn't cynical, it was encouraging, something her mother never was. She untangled herself and went to the window just before she shut it she heard a woman scream downstairs. She leaned out the window trying to see what was going on. Suddenly a series of gunshots shattered the window directly below her. Anna cried out and leapt backwards.

She grabbed her sword and her necklace off the nightstand. She was about to head downstairs but she suddenly noticed the gem on her necklace was glowing brightly; it made her freeze momentarily. Yes. She smelled it now. It meant only one thing… She ran back to the window and her stomach sank. He was there, Sephiroth was there. He stood ominously in the middle of the street; his eyes were fixed on the hotel. He didn't even seem to notice her. She had to get to him. She dashed out of her room into the hallway. As she did, the elevator opened and a young man and a young woman walked out holding a couple of high powered guns and kissing each other in an almost repulsive way.

"Oy!" Said the young man gesturing towards Anna. "Where you going bitch?!"

He opened fire at her. He was clumsy and an amateur with guns at best. Anna had no problem dodging the bullets. She didn't have time to deal with them. She dashed to the stairwell and ran down as fast as she could. Occasionally a gunshot would tail her. The couple was trying to kill her before she made it out.

"FUCK!" the young man shouted down the stairs. "Get the fuck back up 'ere bitch!"

Anna ignored him. She made it down to the bottom floor. She went out the emergency exit so the alarm would sound. She ended up in the back alley. She ran as fast as she could out to the street but she found it empty. She heard sirens in the distance. She saw the moonlight glint off of Sephiroth's hair. He was heading out of town. In fact, he was already far away. Anna dashed after him. She didn't care that she was running through the town with a sword in her nightgown, she had to get to him… She ran as fast as she could. She was straining herself so much she started to breathe harder sooner. No matter how fast she ran, though, she couldn't catch up to him. Before she knew it she was a mile out of town and he was still far ahead of her. He didn't even appear to be running… how the hell was he keeping ahead of her? Eventually, after much more running, she was close enough to call out his name.

"Sephiroth!" She cried "Sephiroth! Stop! STOP!"

Of course, he ignored her. She continues to call out his name, ignoring the motorcycle engine catching up to her. There were echoes of laughter over the engine sound as well. Anna heard a gunshot and a bullet missed her foot by inches. She didn't care she kept screaming out his name.

"SEPHIROTH!"

"OY BITCH!" the young man screamed taking a shot at her again while slowing the motorcycle down. This time it hit her in her leg. She fell for a moment but immediately got back up and began limping towards Sephiroth. She continued to cry out to him. Her blood was soaking her bare foot and the pain in her leg was excruciating. Then, the strangest thing happened. The field around them all suddenly vanished and they were inside a red stone tunnel with no end in sight. Sephiroth finally stopped and looked around. He seemed barely swayed by it though. Anna was about to call out to him when the young man behind her yelled again.

"Hey!" He snarled. "The fuck did you do you skank?"

Anna sighed and looked down at the bloody mess that was her leg. The pain was making her head start to swim. She looked back up at Sephiroth. He had finally turned to look at her.

"Se-!" Anna began but she couldn't finish her sentence.

A shot fired and Anna felt an agonizing explosion just above her stomach. Blood drenched the ground in front of her she looked down and gasped in pain. There was a massive hole in her body, blood was pouring out, staining her pure white nightgown. The road and the tunnel began to spin. She looked up at Sephiroth and saw that he was walking away again. She could see the glow from her necklace fading.

"SEPHIROTH…" she screamed but blood filled her lungs and her mouth and she coughed and spat it onto the pavement. She clutched her wound and fell to the ground having lost all control over her legs. She saw a pair of boots approach her.

"Looks like we got a snack for the road baby!" Said the young woman's voice

"Ugh what the fuck?" Growled the young man. Anna saw his finger swipe sample of her blood off the pavement. "This shit stinks!"

"Yeah!" Said the young woman. "This blood is awful!"

Anna felt a hard kick in her stomach. She spat up more blood.

"The fuck is wrong with ya?!" The young man spat at her. "You got an STD or something? You old whore!"

Something stirred inside Anna. Her head began to clear up she could feel her legs again. The blood stopped pouring from her wounds. She opened her eyes and glared up at the young man.

"Eh?" he grunted, looking puzzled. "'ow the fuck are you still alive?"

Anna felt a fire erupt inside her. Without thinking she lunged for the young man with an angry roar. It wasn't a human roar… it was like… a wolf… He backed up. Anna took the opportunity to stumble to her feet, sword in hand. Nema's wings fired up and glowed over her bloody hand. She leapt forward swiping at the couple. She sliced open the young man's chest. His blood spattered the ground. The young woman cried out and backed away.

"Fuck you!" The young man said, he lifted his gun and shot Anna in the shoulder.

This time Anna fell to the ground and she couldn't get back up. Her body was growing cold and blood filled her lungs and mouth again. She shut her eyes to keep from getting dizzy. She could feel blood pulsing out of her wound again and she curled up trying to suppress the pain. Sephiroth had left her… he left her to die… she was going to die on this unfamiliar world with no one at her side but some sick kids. There was silence around her broken only by the young man's soft cursing over his chest wound.

Then she heard them. Footsteps echoing from down the tunnel. Anna's heart skipped a beat. He HAD come back for her! She opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the footsteps. Her heart sank when she saw neither silver hair nor a long shining sword. Instead she saw a red trench coat, a red hat and a shining silver gun. It was the tall red-eyed man form earlier. Anna closed her eyes again in pain, both physical and mental. She heard the Man's voice echo from down the tunnel as he approached.

"Children without faith…" He said coolly. "If you had any control you would travel as fog or a bat."

"Who the fuck are you?" Snarled the young man.

"You've gone and taken all those lives…" Said the man ignoring the other's question. "And not even because you were thirsty…"

_What the hell were they talking about_? Anna thought to herself. The whole situation was getting weirder and weirder.

"Is it fun? HUH?!" the red-eyed man continued, each word from his mouth possessing more and more malice. "Is that what it takes for filth like you to get off?! cheap little two bit terrors… you can't even heal your own wounds…"

"What's it to you?!" growled the young man.

There was a ringing noise then Anna could sense the man standing in front of her. She opened her eyes and saw the back of his boots. He was standing between her and the serial killers.

"Eternity is wasted on the likes of you…" the man continued, still ignoring the questions. "Try as you might, mortality slips away… and you remain with only your shame!"

There was a gunshot and Anna opened her eyes to see the man fall to the pavement before her.

"No…" she wheezed through suffocating on her own blood. "No…!"

She reached out and touched the man's shoulder. She suddenly felt a warmth travel through her hand to her chest and her brain as if he was sending her a message. The message said: _don't worry… _

The young man laughed but stopped suddenly when the red-eyed man got back up completely unharmed, laughing coolly to himself.

"Christ!" Said the young man. "Who is this fucking cocker?!"

"No… I don't like this!" Cried the young woman and she began to run away; back towards town.

"That's enough of this shit!" Said the young man and gun shots rang out again.

This time though, the red-eyed man held up his gun. A long barreled silver pistol-looking gun. Its shots were louder and more intense than the young man's guns.

"You dare to call yourself Nosferatu?" Growled the red-eyed man. "YOU DISGUST ME!"

The bullets ripped though the young man leaving enormous holes in his body. The red-eyed man then lunged forward and buried his hand in the young man's chest. When he withdrew it there was an explosion and shower of blood, and the young man was gone.

Anna moaned. She was getting colder and colder.

"Your turn, police girl…" murmured the red eyed man.

"That's an amazing feat…" he said turning to Anna. "You been shot through the chest and you've managed to stay alive all this time."

Anna shot him a dirty look.

"What happened to the blushing?" asked the man, that sinister, wide smile on his face."

Anna coughed up some blood onto his boots.

"Are you a virgin, miss?" he asked her kneeling down.

Anna tried to respond with a "What the hell does that have to do with anything?!" but she could only manage another volley of blood from her mouth onto the man's boot again. He swiped a sample of her blood off the ground on his finger and placed it on his tongue. His grin vanished. He remained silent for a moment then placed his hand on her cheek.

"Doesn't matter…" he said. "I wouldn't drink your blood anyway… it's the foulest blood I have ever seen… what made your blood like this?"

"Anna shut her eyes. The tunnel had vanished around them. The air was soft and cool but she couldn't keep her eyes open any more, everything was spinning. She groaned and reached her hand out towards him. She grabbed the sleeve of his red trench coat weakly. She could feel tears running down her blood spattered face. The man gently removed her hand from his sleeve and clasped it in his.

"I suppose I could try another tactic… Although I haven't used it in a long time…"

Anna heard the tinkling of bullets falling on the pavement; she opened her eyes and looked at the man. He was holding a single bullet from his gun in his white-gloved hand. He pulled his sleeve back, exposing his arm.

"Do you want to walk among the living again?" he asked her. "It's your choice…"

Anna nodded weakly.

"If this turns you into a ghoul… I'll kill you myself." Said the man. "Don't worry; you won't be suffering for much longer…"

Anna's eye widened as the man somehow used the bullet to puncture a hole in his skin; all he did was press it to his arm, it hissed then broke the skin. Blood poured out. He rolled Anna onto her back and took her hands off her wound. He held is arm over the hole in her body and Anna felt the warm liquid fall into the cold gap. He applied his blood to each of her bullet wounds.

Anna was just wondering how the hell this was going to save her, when she felt the warmth of the blood spread through her entire body. Then the warmth grew warmer and warmer… soon it was hot… hotter! Anna cried out in pain, her insides were on fire! She reached towards her wound but the man grabbed her arms and held them down. She moaned, thrashing in pain. She looked up though his sunglasses and into his red eyes. At the sight of them she felt the pain release from her body and she grew limp. The man grinned and placed the back of his cool hand on her cheek. The last thing Anna saw was a look of shock on his face and she heard him whisper:

"What the…?"

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"You're not afraid are you?" Said the wolf.

"NO!" Anna yelled "I'm not! WHO ARE YOU?"

The wolf lunged again, teeth bared, dripping with blood.

Anna cried out and sat up abruptly in bed. She looked around. She was in a room that appeared to be in a dungeon of some sort. There were no windows, it was cool damp and the walls and floor were all stone. She was lying on a four poster bed. The only other things in the room were a table and chairs upon the table and chairs there was a set of clothes, Anna recognized e outfit as the one of the sets she had bought earlier. It consisted of a long, sleek dark red dress with a slit on the side for optimal movement, black sheer stockings, knee length black combat boots, a pair of protective black gloves and a short black, high-collared, jacket. There was a door ajar across the room that led to what looked like a bathroom. Anna looked at herself. She was still in her blood drenched night gown, accept nor it was all dry. She needed a shower, and bad. There was blood all over her face and skin.

Anna suddenly realized that the gunshot wounds were gone. She looked at the spots where they were; not even a scar… the necklace was still around her neck too…she shook her head. She didn't want to dwell on the strangeness of the situation too much considering how gross she felt. She went to the bathroom and threw away her damaged night gown. She showered for a good long time, trying to wash away all the blood and filth on her .When she finished she walked back into her room wearing just a towel to find it occupied. The blonde, tan skinned woman and her butler she saw with the red eyed man earlier were waiting for her. She jumped and nearly lost her towel at the sight of them. The woman pointed to Anna's clothes on the table.

"Dress yourself swordswoman." She said "We can wait."

Anna nodded, her face turning bright red again. She grabbed her clothes, ran back into the bathroom, dressed herself then walked back out.

"Sorry… "She said." I didn't realize…

"Don't worry about that now." Said the woman sharply. "I am Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. I am the leader of this organization here called the Hellsing Organization. And this is my butler Walter."

"Oh! Said Anna bowing her head to Integra and Walter. "Sorry I didn't mean any disrespect! My name is Annaleah…"

"I have been informed that your case is most unusual…" Said Integra as if Anna had said nothing. "Not only did you stay alive a good fifteen minutes or so after you suffered a fatal gunshot wound but you managed to get up and injure your attacker after losing a substantial amount of blood."

Anna looked away from them and stared at the floor. She knew what had caused it but telling them exactly what it was would make her sound crazy.

"Alucard told me your blood was heavily tainted." Integra continued. "I'm getting a little irritated that he wants to make more of his kind all of the sudden but with you it's different."

"Alucard?" Anna asked, bewildered.

"The man, or vampire rather, that saved your life." Said Integra. "He is the Hellsing Organizations best weapon. He was planning to save you by making you into a vampire but since he couldn't drink your blood he gave you some of his. It works essentially the same way."

Anna looked up at them in shock.

"Wait!" Said Anna. "What do you mean vampires? What the hell is going on exactly?!"

"Don't Interrupt me." Said Integra, more in exasperation than frustration. "Like I said he wanted to turn you into a vampire to save you but when that happens you become the living dead… and if you check yourself right now you'll see that you're still alive…"

Anna checked her pulse. She was warm and yes her heart was still beating.

"Also." Integra went on. "You only would have become a vampire if you were a virgin. After we had a doctor examine you we found that not only are you not a virgin but you have also given birth. This means that you should have been turned into a ghoul but you weren't. What I want to know is where you are from and what is it in your blood that caused this phenomenon to occur?"

Anna had the sudden feeling that she had been hit by a train. She sat down in the chair across from Integra at the table, keeping their eyes from meeting.

"Let's just say…" Said Anna. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you…"

"We also noticed a fairly fresh scar from a canine bite on your leg." Said Integra. "Does that have anything to do with it?"

"I guess you could say that…" Said Anna, staring at her hands.

"I should warn you now…" Said Integra. "If you don't tell us what we need to know we cannot trust you and if we cannot trust you, we will kill you. Tell us now… what are you?!"

Anna clenched her fists.

"I can't tell you where I'm from or how I got this…" Said Anna "Because you wouldn't believe me… but I can tell you the reason I am so strange is because I wasn't exactly human in the first place when I was given that blood…"

Integra seemed interested. So Anna continued.

"It's called the T-Virus… 98 times out of 100 when a person comes in contact with it they are killed and re-animated as a living corpse with the need only to feed. I, however, fused with the virus, it mutated me, making me stronger I guess… The term evolved was thrown around. Anyway, I don't know much about vampires but I've seen stranger things… I'm guessing since the T-Virus strengthens and rebuilds living tissue than it protected me from becoming a ghoul when I came in contact with Alucard's blood. I guess the mixture of Alucard's blood and the T-virus may have caused a boost in the virus's ability to rebuild my tissue."

Integra gestured to Walter. He nodded and picked up a large pipe off the floor and placed it on the table before Anna.

"See if you can bend that…" Said Integra.

Anna gave her an odd look but did as she was told. The pipe felt weightless in her arms. She bent it the greatest of ease. She was so surprised by this she dropped the pipe to the floor.

"I see…" Said Integra. "You have the physical strength of the vampire…Let's see your teeth…"

"My teeth?" Said Anna.

Walter walked over to her.

"Would you be so kind as to open up miss?" he asked politely.

Anna opened her mouth.

"No fangs…" Said Walter.

Anna suddenly realized what they were doing. They were seeing how many traits of a vampire she had inherited from Alucard's blood and how many she didn't.

Walter drew what looked to be a bag of blood from his tux.

He took a cup from the table and poured the blood into it.

"Drink this, please." He said.

Anna sighed and took the glass. She took a sip and grimaced at the awful taste. Her gag reflex was starting to react to it as well. If she drank any more she would surely vomit.

"Sorry…" She said handing the cup back to Walter. "I can't drink that…"

"Very well…" said Walter. He took out a silver bullet from his pocket. "Hold this."

Anna took it and held it in her hand. Nothing happened.

"I see…" Said Walter taking the bullet back. "Give me your arm."

Anna held out her arm. Walter took it, rolled back her sleeve and with one swift motion he sliced her arm with a knife he pulled from another pocket. Anna cried out as her blood spattered on the floor.

"What the hell?!" she shouted angrily at them. Pulling her arm away and clasping the cut to keep it from bleeding. .

"Get her a bandage…" Said Integra.

Walter quickly cleaned up Anna's bloody arm and bandaged it tightly.

"Last test." Said Integra, standing up.

They headed out of the dungeon. Anna noted that they were in a massive castle. It was dark and foreboding even during the middle of the day. They walked outside into the sunlight. They stood there for a good five minutes before Anna turned to them and asked.

"Okay can I get an explanation yet?"

"Here's a summary…" Said Integra. "You have the physical strength of a vampire, you do not have the weaknesses of a vampire or the needs of one but you are still vulnerable to any sort of weapon, like a human…"

"Walter undid Anna's bandaging on her arm and she noticed that her cut had completely healed itself.

"You can heal yourself but it takes too long…" Integra continued. "It will probably take longer with each progressive wound you have inflicted upon you as you use up Alucard's blood."

"What does this all mean?" Said Anna impatiently. "You are an abnormality Swordswoman…" Said Integra curtly. "I can't allow you to leave the Hellsing Organization unless you agree to work for us."

"Work?" asked Anna.

"Yes…" said Integra. "Work. We are an organization dedicated to eradicating the world of monsters and unholy creatures. If I were to let you go you would be a threat to us… you will help us kill these monsters from now on, since you refused to tell us where you hail from or where you got that special virus of yours we will be forced to kill you if you leave. Are we clear?"

"I don't want to be your damn slave!" Anna snapped whirling about.

"You won't be I assure you!" Said Walter trying to calm Anna down. "You will be provided with food shelter and the finest medical treatment available! The room you awoke in shall be your assigned room; your meals will be brought there every day for breakfast lunch and dinner and if you need anything at all please do not hesitate to ask me!"

"I'm sorry Anna." Said Integra, her tone softening a little. "I know you did not want this to happen but it did and we need your help…"

Anna looked at the grass. Maybe this was destiny… after all… she crashed on this word and had no idea what she was going to do… now she had a place to stay, eat and fight for a living… that didn't sound so bad…

"Alright…" said Anna looking back up at them. Then she suddenly panicked, realizing her sword was not over her shoulder.

"Where's Nema?!" she cried looking around wildly. "Where's my sword?!"

"Oh quite a masterful piece of work if I do say so myself… nothing I have really ever seen before…" Said Walter grinning. "Don't worry; I'm working on it right now to make it ready for monster fighting."

"While you wait please feel free to explore the grounds…" said Integra. "Just be aware that if you try to leave…you have a bond with Alucard now since you share his blood, he will hunt you down and dispose of you… you will not be able to escape!"

"lovely…" said Anna sarcastically. "I know giving you my word that you can trust me won't be enough… so I guess I'll just have to prove it…"

Integra gave her a stiff nod and walked back into the castle.

"My apologies Miss Annaleah…" Said Walter. "Sir Integra has been on edge lately… we have been hunting some peculiar vampires and we're not sure who to trust. I think we were meant to bump into you the other day… I'm sure a warrior such as yourself will enjoy working for us…"

With that he bowed to her and followed Integra back into the castle.

Anna sighed and began wandering around. Eventually she found herself atop a grassy hill near the castle. She collapsed onto her back and looked up into the clouds. She thought about how Sephiroth had abandoned her, left her for dead… now she knew he wasn't himself… the old Sephiroth would never have done that in a million years… she had to stop him… but he was probably far away by now… she felt a small ache in her heart. She sat up and wiped a tear out of her eye. She hated what he had become… she hated it…

Anna suddenly became very aware of the fact that someone was standing behind her. She leapt up and instinctively reached for her sword to find nothing there. It was Alucard, the red-eyed man that had dragged her into this. Anna relaxed a bit, but she still felt intimidated by him, a lot. She gave him a hard look to show that she meant business. He was grinning his wide sinister grin.

"Shame you didn't become a full vampire… your still a little weakling…"

Anna was in no mood for such talk.

"Piss off!" she snarled and turned her back to him.

"Humph! You're an insolent one aren't you?" Alucard hissed. "After I saved your worthless little life…"

Anna turned back to him.

"You got some nerve…" She growled angrily. "If you came up here just to insult me then I think there's a better way to waste both our time than that!"

Alucard began to laugh. His laugh was loud and cold and it sent shivers down Anna's spine.

"I was merely testing you." He said. "I wanted to see if the transfer of my blood made you my servant… obviously if you have such an easy time telling me off I you must not be…"

"I wouldn't want to serve you even if I had become a vampire!" Anna snapped.

"Oh but you would have!" Said Alucard laughing again. "And you would have actually become strong! Unfortunately, though, you're still just a worthless defiant human…"

"I don't even know who you are!" Shouted Anna "I don't care what the hell you think about me!"

Alucard's grin vanished and he grabbed her by the wrist. He pulled her in close to him.

"Apparently you do or you wouldn't be so upset right now…" he said softly.

His tone was so icy it made the hair on the back of Anna's neck stand up again. But why was her heart beating so fast? She felt her cheeks beginning to flush. She shook her head and pulled herself away from him.

"Don't try any of that charm crap on me!" Said Anna glaring at him. "You can't come up here, tell me how insignificant I am then expect me to forget about it just because you pull something like _that._"

Alucard smiled again but this time it was a weak and tired smile.

"My apologies." He said. "I suppose I was just disappointed that you couldn't join me as a true vampire… you have made an excellent one…I also have a bad habit of getting upset when I don't get what I want."

Anna groaned in exasperation.

"I'm going to be working with you anyway" She said. "You're just disappointed that I'm not your slave…"

Alucard chuckled to himself.

"Maybe your right." He said. "You still have plenty of chances to prove me wrong… not all humans are worthless you know…"

"You haven't seen anything yet." Said Anna folding her arms and turning her back to him again. "I'm not afraid of any monsters… even ones like you!"

Alucard erupted into a fit of psychotic laughter.

"I think you're the one who hasn't seen anything yet!" he cackled and vanished before her very eyes.

Anna sighed and headed back to the castle.

After a brief meal in her room Anna decided to do some more exploring. When she walked out of her room, however, she saw the Police Girl emerge from a room nearby. When she saw Anna she waved and ran up to her.

"Hey are you Annaleah?!" She asked, excitedly.

"Yeah." Said Anna taken somewhat aback.

"My name is Ceres." Said the girl. "I'm kind of new here too…"

"Heh… a bit overwhelming isn't it?" Said Anna. "I mean this is all happening so fast…"

Ceres giggled.

"Yeah I know!" She said. "What do you think of being a vampire?"

"Pardon?" Asked Anna

"Master said he gave you his blood…" Said Ceres. "Doesn't that mean you're a vampire now, like me?"

"You'd think so but apparently I'm some sort of freak of nature." Said Anna massaging her forehead. "Wait… did you say master?"

"Yes…" said Ceres. "My master… he saved my life too but only by turning me into a vampire… now I'm his servant I guess…"

Anna frowned.

"Do you want to be his servant?" She asked.

"I… Don't really have a choice." Said Ceres, her perky attitude was fading fast.

"Why?" Asked Anna.

"I…" Ceres mumbled. "I… Don't know…"

Anna saw that Ceres seemed disturbed. She put her hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"Do you like music?" she asked Ceres, trying to change the subject.

Ceres looked up at her.

"Umm yeah…" She said. "Why?"

"Well I happen to have a hobby of singing…" Said Anna. "Want to hear? I'd like some feedback since I haven't done it in a while…"

Ceres smiled.

"Okay!" she said. "Let's go to my room!"

Anna followed Ceres back into the room she had emerged form earlier.

"Your master is a bit of a prick isn't he?" Anna said walking to the table in the middle of the room and turning to Ceres who had sat on the nearby bed.

"He's been a vampire for a long time…" Said Ceres, biting her lip. "He doesn't like humans very much. I think he likes you though!"

Anna laughed.

"Are you kidding?" she asked smacking her hand to her forehead. "He treats me like crap! Every word out of his mouth is an insult to me!"

"Well he did just go out in broad daylight to see you didn't he?" Asked Ceres looking at her curiously. "He hates even leaving his room during the day… and back when we saw you in that town he couldn't keep his eyes off you!"

Anna suddenly recalled how Alucard had so tightly held her hand while she was dying. She felt her face go red once again.

"Well…" Anna said awkwardly, looking away. "He's going about it all the wrong way…"

Ceres giggled.

"I'm sure it's been a while since he's fancied a woman!" She said.

Her face suddenly went pale; she looked at the floor and her smile, once again, vanished. "Sorry…" She mumbled.

"Hmm? What about?" Anna asked.

"Not to you." Ceres said softly, biting her lip again.

Anna suddenly felt quite creeped out considering there was no one else in the room.

"Hang on…" she said thinking back on Ceres's words. "If your master doesn't like going out in broad daylight… why was he out and about with you guys in that town during the day?"

"We were investigating something…" mumbled Ceres while she stared at the floor. "If sir Integra wants us to go out in broad daylight we have to do it…"

"Are you okay?" Anna asked Ceres. The girl was looking disturbed again.

"Let's just stop talking about master…" Said Ceres she looked up at Anna and forced a smile. "Why don't you sing? I wanna hear it!"

Anna closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She didn't want to sing her usual song; she decided to sing something different. It was a song she learned on her own after hearing someone sing it on the streets of Radiant Garden. It was a dark song but she felt a great connection to it; mainly because she could relate to it so well. She prepared her vocal chords, opened her eyes and began to sing.

_You lie silent there before me_

_your__ tears they mean nothing to me_

_the__ wind howling at the window_

_the__ love you never gave_

_I give to you_

_Really don't deserve it_

_but__ now there's nothing you can do_

_so__ sleep in your only memory of me_

_my__ dearest mother_

_Here's a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_it__ was always you that I despised_

_I don't feel enough for you to cry oh well_

_here's__ a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_goodbye_

_goodbye_

_So insignificant _

_sleeping__ dormant deep inside of me_

_are__ you hiding away lost_

_under__ the sewers _

_maybe__ flying high in the clouds_

_perhaps__ you're happy without me_

_so__ many seeds have been sown in the field_

_and__ who could sprout up so blessedly _

_if__ I had died _

_I would have never felt sad at all_

_you__ will not hear me say I'm sorry_

_where__ is the light_

_wonder__ if it's weeping somewhere_

_Here's a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_it__ was always you that I despised_

_I don't feel enough for you to cry oh well_

_here's__ a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_Here's a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_it__ was always you that I despised_

_I don't feel enough for you to cry oh well_

_here's__ a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_good-bye_

_good-bye_

_Here's a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_it__ was always you that I despised_

_I don't feel enough for you to cry oh well_

_here's__ a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_Here's a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_it__ was always you that I despised_

_I don't feel enough for you to cry oh well_

_here's__ a lullaby to close your eyes good-bye_

_good-bye_

_good-bye_

She finished and looked at Ceres. The girl appeared to be in some sort of trance. In fact, the very air around them seemed more still than usual. Anna could have sworn she saw a flash of red in one of the shadowy corners of the room. The sound of clapping hands made Anna jump. Walter was standing in the doorway.

"Beautiful Miss Anna." He said smiling. "If I didn't know any better I would have thought you were a professional musical artist."

"No…" said Anna turning to him. "It's just a hobby… what brings you here?"

"Sir Integra has requested a demonstration of your swordsmanship abilities." Said Walter bowing courteously to her. "She instructed me to take you to the practice range."

"Of course." Said Anna. She turned to Ceres and waved. "It was nice meeting you Ceres!"

"You too!" Said Ceres, snapping out of her daze. She waved to Anna.

Anna followed Walter through a few corridors in the basement until they reached a large dark room. There was very little light from the candles on the walls. All Anna could see was a dark figure in the back of the room. Walter approached her from behind.

"You'll need this…" said Walter handing her a sword.

"Swordswoman…" Integra's voice rang out from the back of the room. "Whoever draws blood first wins. Prove your worth to the Hellsing organization."

Integra stepped out of the shadows pointing a sword in Anna's direction. The candle light flashed off of the steel. Anna felt a fire begin to burn in her chest. It was a fire that she so dearly relished. Its warm flames breathed energy into her limbs. It flared her adrenaline into high gear. As much as she enjoyed singing there was nothing she thirsted for more than combat itself. She took the sword from Walter and brandished it at Integra.

"I'm ready when you are!" Said Anna.

They approached each other. When they were but two feet away from each other they stopped. Integra raised her sword to her face. Anna followed suit. There was a brief moment in which they merely stared at each other. Then Anna thrust her weapon forward. Integra parried the attack and thrust her weapon back at Anna. Anna easily moved out of the way and slashed at Integra from the side. Integra turned and blocked the slash. Anna retaliated with a flurry of attacks, each of which Integra blocked. Anna saw an opening and attempted to cut Integra's arm. She managed to cut her suit but didn't break the skin before Integra knocked her blade away. This time Integra attacked, but Anna was too quick for her. She was behind Integra in an instant. Integra managed to barely whirl around and knock away her blade in time. The two blades clashed again and again; Anna's wild, bright orange hair whirling about, dancing through the dark room like a waving torch; Integra's long sleek blonde hair sweeping through the darkness like a waltzing ghost. The fire of combat was burning brighter and brighter inside Anna. She could see that Integra was getting tired but Anna was not even out of breath yet. Still, Integra had a lot of skill and was giving Anna a run for her money. Anna finally got sick of fighting with just her sword though, and with a swift upper kick of her leg, Integra's sword was flying through the air. Anna brought her sword down on Integra's shoulder a few drops of blood spattered onto Anna's coat. Integra cried out and grabbed her new wound.

"Sorry… that was cheap…" Said Anna rubbing the back of her neck. "I shouldn't have done that."

Integra chuckled as Walter brought her some bandages.

"You had me thinking it was a regular duel with just swords." Said Integra. "Then you trick me by turning it around and using martial arts. Not only did you take me by surprise you also proved your versatility as a fighter. You also showed that you are ready to face real-life combat… in that sort of combat there are no rules. I couldn't be happier with the result."

"Th-Thank you sir!" Anna stuttered in surprise.

"You expressed no sign of exhaustion throughout the fight as well. It was intimidating to say the least." Said Integra. "I was right to recruit you into the Hellsing organization."

Anna bowed respectfully to Integra. Walter approached her and took her sword.

"Your own sword will be returned to you soon." He said. "The blade is being blessed for undead extermination."

Anna nodded to him.

"Is there anything else you would like from me?" She asked Integra, turning to her.

"No that is all." Said Integra walking out of the room, followed closely by Walter. "You're dismissed."

Anna gave a sigh and looked at her feet. She shut her eyes and allowed her mind to settle. After a few moments she began heading out of the room. She stopped at the sound of a familiar voice from the shadows.

"That was quite impressive… for a human"

"Bite me." Anna growled.

There was a soft laugh.

"You have no idea… how much I wish to take the pleasure of doing so…"

Anna looked back into the shadows. She could see nothing. She sighed, shook her head and left.


	2. Chapter 2

THE BLOODLUST CHAPTERS: #2

"Your hair is so messy!"

"Eh?"

"You should let me style it for you!"

"Sorry…" Said Anna. "But you don't strike me as the hair styling type…"

"Oh come on!" Said Ceres bouncing up and down in her chair. "I did it all the time in high school for my friends! All you need is some conditioner and curls! It'll look great!"

"Curls?" Said Anna touching her hair. "Would I look good in them?""Yeah!" Said Ceres leaping out of her chair and running to her trunk in the corner. "Hang on; I got a curling iron in here somewhere…"

Anna watched Ceres in amusement.

"You're seriously gonna style my hair for me right now?" She asked.

Ceres emerged from her trunk holding some hair products and what must have been her curling iron.

"You bet!" she said excitedly. "Go into the bathroom! I'll wash your hair in the sink!"

It was day time and even though Ceres should have been sleeping she invited Anna to her room once again, this time for tea. Anna found Ceres' energy to be very inspiring. Her upbeat attitude kept Anna from her possessive thoughts of Sephiroth and all the people she had left behind.

They tried to keep quiet so that Alucard or Integra wouldn't find out that Ceres wasn't sleeping, but when Ceres got excited about something it was hard to keep her from being loud. Anna figured Walter was covering for them somehow, at least on Integra's side. Alucard seemed to enjoy popping through walls when he wasn't invited and he also seemed to think he had the most authority over Ceres even though Integra had authority over both of them. Many times they had been enjoying quality girl time together and Alucard would burst in, giving them both a fright and holler at Ceres for still being awake; He would call her an idiot, tell Anna to go find a better use for her time and shoot their good moods right out of the sky.

The truth was that they couldn't talk during the night time because Ceres was usually occupied with missions and Anna couldn't join them yet since her sword was still in transit from being blessed. She refused to take part in missions without it. Integra didn't object either. She seemed to understand the importance of Anna's sword and how any other would be completely inferior.

"You know…" said Ceres brushing Anna's hair out after it had been washed. "You've been here about a week and I still don't know where you're from!""I'm an alien from outer space…" Said Anna dryly.

Ceres laughed.

"You're from America aren't you?" asked Ceres.

"I don't even know what America is…" Said Anna

"You're joking right?" Asked Ceres peering over the back of Anna's head into her eyes. "America is the most powerful country in the world right now! Wow, maybe you are an alien…"

Anna laughed softly.

"I'll tell you what I told Integra." She said. "If I told you where I'm from you wouldn't believe me."

"Try me!" Said Ceres. "I mean… I'm way open to new ideas… after all that's been happening to me…"

Anna shut her eyes and smiled.

"Okay… but don't call me crazy!" She said "I'm from another world."

"What do you mean?" Asked Ceres beginning to curl Anna's hair with the iron. "You really are an alien?"

"Well I wouldn't say that exactly…" Said Anna. "You're people would probably call it a parallel universe."

"Well that kind of makes sense…" Said Ceres. "After all, you were wearing some weird clothes when we first saw you…"

"Glad you think so…" said Anna. "Just don't tell anyone else yet I'm not sure they're as open-minded as you are…"

"So what brings you to our universe anyway?" Said Ceres in almost a mocking manner.

"I was following someone…" Said Anna gently fingering the gem on the necklace around her neck. "His minions ambushed me near your world, though, and my… uh…. vehicle… crashed into the ocean here. So I'm kinda stuck here…"

"OMIGOSH!" Said Ceres suddenly yanking Anna's hair a bit too hard with the curling iron, causing a small yelp to escape form Anna's lips. "I saw a news report on an unidentified flying vehicle crashing into the ocean outside that town we found you in a day before we saw you there!"

"Did anyone get it out of the ocean?" Asked Anna feeling a sudden rush of hope.

"No." said Ceres. "They couldn't find it… that could have been a military cover up though…"

"Doesn't matter…" Said Anna bitterly. "Sir Integra said she'd kill me if I left here anyways."

"You shouldn't hold something like that against her…" Said Ceres. "She's really a good person… she just doesn't trust you yet… she's strict I guess you could say…"

"Yeah" Said Anna with a sigh. "I guess if I were in her position I'd have made the same choice."

Ceres finished her work and brought Anna a mirror. Anna looked into it and gasped. Her hair had adopted a glorious shine. The curls weren't tight, they were wavy but in a perfect sort of way. They flowed in and out, gracefully, each one intertwining with another like a dancing flame on a candle. They fell gracefully down her shoulders and her back. She tucked her new curls behind her ears, continuing to stare at her reflection in shock.

"Wow…" she said "I've never seen my hair look this beautiful…"

"I told you it would look good!" Said Ceres. She was positively beaming. Anna put the mirror down and felt the gem around her neck again.

"Ceres…" she murmured. "Thank you…"

Ceres looked a little baffled.

"It's just a hairstyle…" she said, laughing nervously.

"No." said Anna. "I mean… I thought It was going to be very hard… adjusting to life in this world… especially leaving everyone I ever cared about behind… but you've really helped me... you know… get used to it… it's only been a week and I already feel kinda like things are going to be okay after all…"

Ceres Smiled.

"That's what friends are for." She said patting Anna on the shoulder.

Anna smiled back at Ceres.

"Well you're really good at it!" She said.

There was a moment of silence. Then Anna felt a familiar pain in her leg. It immediately erupted into piercing agony. She shouted and fell to the floor, clutching her leg. She could see it! The wolf was bearing its fangs... Ceres knelt down and grabbed Anna's shoulder.

"Anna!" She cried, panicking. "Anna! What's wrong?!"

Anna was beginning to breathe incredibly hard and, she felt as if there was hot tar in her lungs. The pain from her leg was spreading all over her body. She thrashed about, clawing at the floor. She heard Ceres scream and saw her blurry silhouette backing away. She noticed her breaths sounded like growls… no… they _were_ growls; Like the growls from the wolf. The wolf had its jaws around her neck… the room was spinning…was she dying? That damn T-Virus... was she going to have these fits all the time thanks to it?

She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, restraining her to the point in which she couldn't move. She couldn't thrash about any more either; she continued to breathe until the pain began to subside. The room stopped spinning, and her breaths became less labored. She felt weak in every limb. The pain was gone, so she opened her eyes. Alucard was holding her, his face inches from hers. His usual grin was nowhere to be seen. He even looked a little frightened.

"Anna…" Said Ceres from a few feet away. "What happened?"

Anna looked around and saw something that gave her the sensation of swallowing ice. There were claw marks engraved in the stone floor. Anna looked at her hands, there were small bits of stone underneath her fingernails. Anna felt sick to her stomach.

"I…" Anna stuttered. "I…"

She felt a tear run down her face.

"I don't… know…"

She forced herself away from Alucard, stood, and ran clumsily out of the room. Ceres tried to follow her but Alucard put his arm out in front of her to stop her.

Anna collapsed onto her bed. She buried her face into her pillow and began sobbing uncontrollably. She was losing what little was left of her humanity. She now knew how Cloud felt. All those days she spent by his side while he destroyed himself mentally as the darkness Sephiroth cursed him with enveloped his very soul. Now she had her own curse and she didn't even know what it was yet… she couldn't be a werewolf… it was day time… or maybe the stories had it wrong… it certainly would explain the wolf that kept haunting her thoughts and dreams… but there was going to be a full moon tonight… it didn't matter now…

She clasped Sephiroth's gift to her in her hand. The gem was cool and soothing, but it didn't stop her heart from aching. This was all Sephiroth's fault for turning to darkness and all her fault for following him to oblivion.

She didn't know how many hours she sat there before she cried herself to sleep. But soon she was on the tundra again standing in front of the wolf. It opened its viscous jaws and spoke to her once again in that familiar female voice.

"If you are afraid of me you will never conquer me!" she said.

"Shut up!" Anna screamed "I'm not afraid of you!"

"Yes you are…" Said the wolf. "You are afraid of me therefore you are tormented by me!"

"No!" Said Anna angrily. "You torment me so I hate you! I do not fear you!"

The wolf charged forward, its bloody fangs bared. Anna shouted angrily and charged back at the wolf. She didn't have her sword, but she wasn't going to let the wolf win.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU" Anna screamed.

The two collided and Anna shot upwards in bed with a great gasp.

"I'm sorry did I wake you Miss Annaleah?" Said Walter who was standing in her doorway as a dark silhouette.

"No…" mumbled Anna, wiping cold tears and sweat from her face "I'm… it's… its fine…"

"Well anyway…" Said Walter, walking into the room, switching on the lights and placing a long black case on the table in the middle of the room. "Your sword has arrived… and just in time!"

Anna got out of bed. It wasn't until she stood up that she realized she had covers over her and she distinctly remembered not having them over her when she fell asleep. She dismissed it and walked over to Walter rubbing her forehead. He opened the case. There lay Nema in her sheath. She took the sword out and waved it through the air, she felt even more empowered than usual. Nema's wings flared into life, now they were spreading to a span of three feet and their light bathed the entire room. The blade was a lighter color now, and there was a great, beautiful cross engraved on it.

"She looks beautiful." Said Anna, waving Nema around again.

"She has been blessed by the Church of England itself!" Said Walter. "…And the lighter color is due to melted silver crosses grafted to the metal. She's also been sharpened."

"Thank you Walter!" Said Anna turning to him and bowing courteously.

She sheathed Nema and placed it on the table.

"Anyway…" Said Walter. "This is not a moment too soon… Sir Integra wishes to speak to you immediately regarding our most recent mission… it's become more complicated than we thought…"

"What?" Asked Anna, in a panic. "Are Ceres and Alucard okay?"

"We can only hope!" Said Walter. "Please come with me!"

Anna shouldered Nema and followed Walter up to Integra's office. As they walked in, Integra hurried past them out into the hall.

"Come on!" She said. "I'll brief you on the mission while we're on the way!"

The trio walked briskly to the nearest stairwell and began to climb.

"I sent Alucard, Ceres and a good portion of my men to a site in Northern Ireland where there were accounts of vampire attacks." Said Integra as they jogged up the stairs. "But because Northern Ireland is part of the Catholic Church, they seem to think that it is necessary to send their own anti-freak agents in to do our work."

"What's wrong with that?" Asked Anna, pretending to know what the Catholic Church was.

"What's wrong is that they are of the Iscariot Organization." Said Integra. "They are the most powerful agents the Vatican has to offer, they are trained to destroy any and all freaks, heathens and heretics… unfortunately Alucard Ceres and my men all fall under those categories in their opinion. If we don't get there and help them soon…"

"Don't you think they can handle it?" Asked Anna.

"I would if they didn't send the agent that they did…" Said Integra. "Alexander Anderson…"

"Who's that?" Asked Anna.

"He's called the Paladin…" Said Walter.

"He's the most brutal agent the Iscariots could have sent." Said Integra. "I'm not sure if even Alucard can handle him… He'll rip Ceres to shreds…"

Anna needed no more convincing than that. She would not let her only friend on this world get hurt; not when she could do something about it.

"Paladin Anderson… Executioner Anderson… Bayonet Anderson… off with its head Anderson… Dust to Dust Anderson." Said Walter looking at some notes he was holding in his hand. "Place of birth unknown… age unknown… even his origins remain unknown… the only fact that we can nail down is that he is an expert monster hunter. In much the way Alucard is our best line of supernatural defense, Anderson can reasonably be described as the finest agent Vatican section thirteen, the Iscariot organization, has to offer."

They reached to rooftop of the castle, there was a helicopter waiting for them. Walter remained behind while Anna and Integra boarded it. They took off within moments. Integra was looking more somber than usual. Anna could feel butterflies in her stomach.

"The Paladin Monster slayer…" Said Integra, more to herself than to Anna. "The purifier… god I hope they haven't started killing each other yet…"

The ride was a good couple of hours of nerves and anticipation. Integra and Anna sat side by side, completely silent. Anna kept worrying more and more about Ceres and Alucard. She knew Alucard could get back up after being shot, unharmed, but by the sounds of this Alexander Anderson he could probably push Alucard to his very limit. She couldn't even think about Ceres in order to keep from becoming hysterical. She had soon too many of her friends hurt and sacrificed before, she couldn't bear to see it again…

Integra suddenly shouted at the driver.

"Hurry!" She said. "Knowing Iscariot… no… knowing Alucard it's probably already started!"

Anna clasped her hair with her hands. The anxiety was killing her.

Integra looked at her.

"Don't worry…" She said putting a reassuring hand on Anna's shoulder. "We won't let anything happen to them will we?"

Anna sat up and looked at Integra. She suddenly felt less frightened.

"No…" Said Anna. "We _won't_!"

The helicopter landed outside a large manor in the middle of nowhere it seemed. The two women leapt out. The doors of the manor burst open and a horde of undead came hobbling to them.

"Damn it!" Said Integra. "Typical Iscariot! He left the ghouls out front alive so no one would follow him in!"

"I'll handle them!" Said Anna drawing Nema from her sheathe.

Nema's wings spread and Anna slashed easily through a few ghouls letting Integra get through into the building. The ghouls were still alive, though. They were crawling around with no legs, using their arms.

"Aim for the heart or the head!" Integra shouted over her shoulder.

Anna sliced a few heads off before she decided to try the new symbol on Nema's hilt. She pressed the biohazard symbol with her pointer finger; there was a flash of red light and Anna felt a weight on her back and arm. She looked down and her jaw dropped. The gun, the enormous machine gun that Nemesis was wielding back in Raccoon City was strapped to her arm. She caught a look at the bullets and saw crosses engraved on them. The blessing of Nema must have spread to her subordinates as well. Anna pulled the trigger and the machine gun screamed into life. All seven barrels firing in less than a second's time of each other, the ghouls were being ripped to shreds. She didn't stop firing until they lay in a bloody pile of guts and the front of the manor was dismembered.

"Nemesis…" Anna whispered, looking at the gun. With a wisp of red light, the gun returned to its symbol in the sword. "You will be Nemesis…"

She looked up at the full moon. She didn't feel weird… she was okay… no funky werewolf stuff tonight… then her heart sank. There was a body in one of the upper windows; it was pinned there with nearly twenty bayonet blades. There was blood dripping outside of the window through the cracks. Anna gave a terrified cry. The body had no head, and was wearing a familiar crimson overcoat.

"ALUCARD!" She shrieked.

Images of Alucard holding her hand while she was dying, and his face as he was holding her after her fit, flashed through her head. She saw him standing out in broad daylight for her. Her heart couldn't take it. She ran into the manor, Nema's wings still brightly aglow. She wasn't sure where she needed to go or what she was going to accomplish but she ran anyway. She couldn't bear to see Alucard's headless body or the thoughts of what could have happened to Ceres. She found some stairs and began to climb. After a few floors she heard gunshots through the wall next to her, and Integra's muffled voice.

"That girl belongs to me!" She said "What's your business here? Paladin of Iscariot, Father Alexander Anderson?"

Without thinking, Anna charged head-first through the wall. She rolled out of the dust cloud and saw Integra at the end of the hall pointing her gun down another corridor.

"Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing…" Said a booming voice from the corridor down which Integra's gun was pointed. "To what do I owe the honor of such a personal Appearance?"

"Enough! Father Anderson!" Snapped Integra. "This is a violation of our agreement! This situation here is under our control! Withdraw immediately! Neither the Iscariot nor the Hellsing Organization can afford such a battle! I don't care who you think you are! THIS ACT OF AGRESSION ENDS NOW!"

"Withdraw?" Said the voice, "Is that an Order?"

Anna heard the sound of drawing blades. She jumped to her feet and ran to Integra.

"You expect the Iscariot Organization, god's own chosen instruments of judgment to just withdraw on your order? The voice continued. "Did you really expect me to run away screaming in fear from a filthy protestant WHORE?"

Anna leapt in front of Integra just in time.

"SPARTAN SHIELD!" She shrieked. There was a flash of red and Alexander Anderson's blades sank into the great steel shield that she held up in front of her and Integra.

Father Anderson was an enormous man, he was about the same height as Alucard but his limbs were large and inhuman, the only creature Anna could think of when she looked at him was an ox or an angry bull. He walked almost like a bull with his back hunched and his green eyes flashing menacingly. His skin was tan and scarred, and his hair was a short dirty blonde. He had an insane grin on his face. Not the cool menacing one that Alucard enjoyed so much. His face was utterly mad.

"An artificially, bio engineered, regenerator agent…" Said Integra behind Anna. "And They've upgraded your healing… you're a THING!"

"Perhaps…" Said Father Anderson., approaching them. "But you're nothing but weak! You're worthless! And who is this new little monster you've brought along with you? Shall I dispose of her as well?"

"Kiss my ass!" Anna snarled.

She returned the shield to its symbol and the blades once embedded in it clattered to the floor.

"Oh-ho!" Said Anderson with an even bigger grin. "This one's got the devil wrapped around her tongue!"

Anna could feel rage burning inside her, threatening to engulf her. This man was relentless. She hated everything about him.

"Your religious crap sickens me!" She hissed. "To follow something so blindly and hurt people who could have helped you in the process is UNFORGIVABLE!"

"You dare challenge the catholic religion?!" Anderson roared. "You're a no good heathen!"

"I don't give a shit about god, the devil or heaven or hell!" Anna cried. "I saw my people massacred at the hands of a mad man who thought he was following a divine purpose! I watched as the man I loved turned to madness and darkness and hurt everyone I cared about! I saw three hundred men sacrifice themselves in the name of justice and I saw the look on their wives' faces when they knew their husbands were never coming home! I saw an entire city laid to waste and thousands of lives destroyed in less than twenty four hours...and all I could do was watch when my own mother took my newborn son from my hands and disposed of him!!"

There were tears streaming down Anna's face now. The wolf was growling inside her chest; she was losing control.

"Don't act like everything is so black and white!" She shrieked. "You think you are doing the world a favor but it is you people who blindly obey a single ideal that lead it to disaster and pain!"

"You disgusting barbarian!" said Anderson drawing more bayonets out of his trench coat. "You dare to lecture _me _on right and wrong?! I am of the Iscariot; I am god's hand of judgment! You're a bloody heathen! You're nobody! "

Anna's fists clenched. She wanted nothing more than to tear him apart… the wolf growls in her chest were growing louder.

"NEMESIS!" She cried and the enormous machine gun from earlier materialized at her side, fully loaded.

"You may be able to heal yourself!" She said softly and full of hatred. "BUT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT YOURSLEF BACK TOGETHER WHEN I CONVERT YOU TO A PILE OF BLOODY PULP!"

"Anna!" Integra cried out. "Please, calm down!"

Anna had her and on the trigger when she suddenly saw Ceres getting to her feet behind Anderson. Her heart stopped. She couldn't fire with Ceres behind him… she would get killed too!

"No…" She said breathlessly. "CERES! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

It was too late, Anderson had charged forward. Anna was able to block one of his blades with Nema but another pierced her shoulder. She cried out in pain.

"No!" Integra gasped.

The agony in Anna's shoulder made her vision blur. She could feel Anderson's vile breath on her face. That was it; she couldn't hold it back any more. With a bone chilling roar she slashed open Anderson's chest. Her hands had transformed into hideous claws. Anderson backed up for a moment. Anna charged forward and sank her teeth into his arm. With a swift yank of her neck she tore a large chunk of flesh from his bones. She swung her sword at him and caught him in the side. Anderson backed away from her some more, his mad grin still in place.

"What sort of monster is this?" he asked mockingly as his flesh stitched itself back together. "This is more pathetic than that pet vampire you like to parade around so much!"

Anna was about to lunge forward again but Integra grabbed her shoulder.

"Anna!" She snapped. "Get a hold of yourself!"

Anna felt the fiery rage inside her cool instantly and her limbs became weak. She fell to her knees trying to catch her breath but the painful wound in her shoulder was not making it easy.

"It's a shame really…" Said Anderson, approaching with bayonets drawn. "You just missed your little pet's decapitation…"

Anna felt something painful tug at her heart. She would have broken down there, were it not for Integra's next words.

"You cut his head off?" she laughed. "Is that all?"

"What?!" snarled Anderson.

There was the sound of a large gun being prepared to fire and Ceres' voice rang out through the blackness of the hallway.

"Get your dirty hands off them!"

Anderson burst out laughing but Integra remained calm.

"It's not looking good for you… Father Anderson." She said. "If I were you I'd leave while I was still able."

"Have you gone insane?" cackled Anderson. "I'm about to paint the walls with the three of you!"

"Then you'd better make it quick!" Said Integra. "That vampire you decapitated will be coming back to life any second now!"

"He'll what?" Asked Anderson, for the first time he actually looked a bit frightened.

Anna could hear numerous wings flapping outside the window. She looked out at the red moon and saw a swarm of bats flitting around the building, and it was getting larger and larger. A single bat seemed to have made its way into the hallway, it flew up behind Ceres. She looked up at it and a familiar voice suddenly rang out through the corridor.

"Why didn't you just drink the blood, you idiot?"

Anna couldn't help but utter a small laugh of relief. The windows to the building shattered and the enormous swarm of bats flew in with a roar of squeaks and flapping wings. Anna felt one of them gently sweep through her hair. They surrounded Alexander. He swatted at them with his bayonets but was unable to hit a single one.

"Cut off his head…" Said Integra. "Pierced his heart… he is nothing like any vampire you've ever known! Your tricks won't kill him!"

Anderson stumbled about clumsily trying to grab his bayonets.

"You may be the fruit of the finest anti-vampire technology…" Integra continued. Anna noticed that the bats were coming together and starting to form the shape of a man, "but one hundred years of the Hellsing families' occult knowledge produced this achievement! Our crown glory!"

Anna could see familiar red eyes in the mass of black bats. They were creating a shadow from which he was emerging. She could see his malicious grin.

"The Vampire: ALUCARD!"

Alucard's cold laughter filled the hallways; his black hair waving in the moonlight.

"Master!" Cried Ceres with glee.

Alucard charged at Father Anderson, his shining gun pointed and at the ready. Anna saw his face positively glowing with his lust to kill. His eyes shined brighter red than usual. Anderson laughed and charged forward to meet him. There was the sound of clashing steel and then they were at opposite ends of the hall again. This time however, Alucard stood before Anna and not Anderson. She looked up at him, for a moment their eyes met, and then with a shower of blood Alucard's arms fell to the floor. Anna cried out but no sooner had his limbs hit the floor did they regenerate from his body.

Anderson looked at Alucard with panic in his eyes.

"I think you are beginning to understand." Said Integra. "What will you do now? Anderson?"

Alucard wheeled around and pointed his gun at the monster hunter, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"I'll leave." Said Anderson calmly opening a book he took from his trench coat. "I'll need further preparation to kill this one…"

_How many friggin pockets does he have in that coat?_ Anna wondered to herself.

Anderson opened the book and the pages began turning rapidly. Pieces of paper that were tacked to the walls began swarming around him as well.

"We'll" meet again Hellsing!" he said. "Next time… I'll butcher you all!"

The pages whirled about him, he disappeared within them and they flew out the nearest window. With a shatter of glass and flutter of paper, he was gone.

Ceres gasped, fell to her knees and stared down the dark corridor. "It's over…" she murmured.

Integra calmly lit a cigar. Anna tried to stand up but her legs were too weak. She put a hand on the blade still in her shoulder in an attempt to remove it but Integra stopped her.

"You're not a vampire." She said. "Wait until we can get a doctor to do that."

"Yes… Sir Integra…" Anna said quietly looking down at the floor.

She felt as if all the pain and emotions she had been feeling before had been converted into numbness inside her. She collapsed onto her side and stared at her hand. It wasn't a hideous claw anymore, but it still had Anderson's blood on it. She wanted to cry but she couldn't. She was too worn out.

"Are you all right, Alucard?" asked Integra from somewhere in Anna's zone of hearing.

"Yes…" Said Alucard calmly. "It's been a while since I've had my head cut off… and now we've finally met Father Anderson from Iscariot."

"He has violated our agreements… attacked without provocation… and killed my men!" growled Integra. "The Vatican will pay dearly for this! However, they are not our priority…there is a shadow organization somewhere out there that is responsible for this increase in vampire attacks. "

"Then what are my orders, master?!" Asked Alucard, practically giddy. "Shall I destroy them? Wipe them from the earth? Grind them to dust? Just give the word, my master, Sir Integra Hellsing!"

Anna got the feeling that he was mocking Integra, but then again he did seem to do that that to everyone…

"When the time has come." Said Integra. "I will!"

"Really..." Said Alucard. "I can't wait! It'll be a pleasure! A truly great pleasure!"

Anna tried to get raise up but her exhaustion had spread all over her body. Instead she grunted and fell back to the floor.

"Humph…" Alucard grunted "This is what happens when humans are allowed to fight like vampires… they get exhausted too easily… pathetic really…"

"I'm not sure that was what we would qualify as vampiric…" said Integra. "Whatever it was… she has very little control over it at the moment. If she can learn to control it she may actually be a force to be reckoned with…"

"As long as she trapped in the bonds of a mortal human body…" said Alucard. "She will never be able to control it! Which reminds me…"

Anna heard footsteps then Alucard spoke again.

"You…" he said. "Why didn't you drink the blood?"

Anna heard Ceres stuttering to herself.

"Why not drink?!" Alucard asked again, this time more forcefully.

"I'm not sure…" said Ceres. "But it felt like… it felt like if I drank the blood… it would mean the end of something important inside of me…"

"You are an idiot…" said Alucard with exasperation. Anna could hear his footsteps walking towards her again.

"But…" he continued. "Perhaps you have a point… perhaps it is time for a vampire that does not walk alone through the night…"

Anna felt Alucard sweep her up in his arms.

"Don't move too much." He grumbled to her. "You'll only make your injury worse."

"Why on earth did you turn her into a vampire and try to turn _her _into one?" Asked Integra.

"Why indeed…" Said Alucard. "For fun? For sport? Maybe it was just a whim…maybe… but that doesn't sound like me… perhaps with years spent with humans you've finally rubbed off on me… I might be developing a sense of whimsy… Let's go police girl don't dawdle!!"

"Yes sir! My master!" Anna heard Ceres chirp excitedly from further down the corridor.

She began to catch up to them.

"But you see sir…" she continued. "My name's not police girl… its Ceres Victoria, sir!"

"Enough! You coward…" Snarled Alucard turning to her. "You are a police girl! Police girl will do!"

"Augh!" Ceres sighed angrily. "You're mean!"

They began to make their way down the hall; Ceres, running to keep up with Alucard's enormous strides. Integra, it seemed, was walking at her own pace because Anna did not hear her footsteps.

"Anna!" Ceres exclaimed excitedly. "That was amazing what you did! Those things you pulled out of your sword and how you went all crazy on him like that!"

Anna grunted to signal her appreciation.

"Indeed…" Said Alucard. "She showed quite a bit more courage than you ever have police girl…"

"Oh come on!" Said Ceres. "You're just saying that because…"

"But she still can't fight to her full potential because she's a pathetic human!" Alucard interrupted Ceres, almost too quickly. "Of all the rotten luck… I get stuck with a cowardly vampire that fights like a human and a brave human who wants to fight like a vampire but can't!"

As they reached the helicopter outside Ceres cried out in disgust.

"UGH!" She exclaimed. "What the hell happened here?!"

Anna figured Ceres was referring to the bloody mess that Anna herself had left there earlier with Nemesis.

Alucard laughed. He placed Anna onto the helicopter and the pilot, who had been waiting there, immediately wrapped her up in a military blanket. Anna opened her eyes a little and looked out at Alucard and Ceres.

"Anna." Said Ceres. "Your hair still looks good! I'll re-do it once we get back, though! It's gotten a little messy…"

Alucard gave Ceres a disgusted look.

Anna smiled.

"Thank you..." She murmured.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anna awoke on a hospital bed. She knew she had to have still been in the Hellsing castle because it was quiet, she was in a large wing full of more hospital beds, each of which was empty, and the floors and walls were stone. The windows were tall and filled the room with moonlight. Anna saw Nema and her necklace on the end table next to her bed.

She shut her eyes and breathed deeply. She felt her shoulder; there were stitches in the place where Anderson's blade had been embedded in. They hardly seemed necessary, though, considering the wound felt completely healed. She wondered how long she had been asleep. It must have been over a day, the moon was no longer full, but it was close. She cherished this moment of relaxation. She was finally able to clear her mind, for just a little while.

She had not dreamt of the wolf for once in a long time. She felt embarrassed, however. After losing control over the wolf like that back at the manor she couldn't even move. Alucard was probably right. She was human, so her mortal body couldn't handle it…

Anna could see her clothes, all repaired and cleaned on a table cross the room from her bed. She allowed herself to relax just a little longer. Then she stood, wearily, and dressed. She was alone in the hospital wing so she didn't feel too bashful about it. She shouldered Nema and put her necklace back round her neck. She made her way back down to her room in the basement. She saw Ceres's door ajar. She dropped her sword off in her room and walked to Ceres' room. She knocked on the doorframe to announce her arrival.

Ceres was sitting on her bed, reading. She looked up at Anna and a smile stretched across her face.

"You're awake!" She said happily.

"Yeah…" Said Anna. "Bit quiet isn't it?"

"Sir Integra and Walter have gone to a conference or something..." Said Ceres patting a spot next to her on the bed, signaling for Anna to sit. "We lost a lot of men too… so it's a bit more quiet than usual anyway."

"Yeah…" Said Anna taking her seat next to Ceres. "That was a terrible night…"

Ceres looked at her.

"You said some amazing things back there…" She said. "Did your son really die?"

"No he was taken through a portal to another world…" Said Anna. "I'm not sure now where he is now or what has become of him… but…"

Anna suppressed the urge to cry. She hadn't thought about Riku in a long time.

"Wow… you're only a little older than me!" Said Ceres. "It mustn't have been too long ago huh?"

"Well…" Said Anna. "I was fifteen…"

"What?!" cried Ceres looking at Anna in shock. "Only fifteen?!"

"Don't get me wrong…" Said Anna. "The man was the love of my life…the only reason I'm not with him now is…"

She trailed off, clasping the gem around her neck again.

"Oh… the madness thing?" Said Ceres. "Still… I can understand if your mother wanted the baby to be adopted…"

Something snapped inside Anna she stood up and faced Ceres, pure anger etched in every corner of her face.

"My mother was an abusive hag!" She snarled. "She spent my entire life telling me how worthless I was, and when I finally found someone who made me feel that I wasn't worthless she forbade me from ever seeing him again because we made one mistake! …A mistake that I wanted to bear myself!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Ceres cried. "I didn't know! But you would have been too young to raise a baby! You should know that!"

"That may have been true…" Said Anna. "…but not a day goes by when I don't regret not stopping that witch from taking him from me!"

"I'm so sorry…" Said Ceres. Anna saw her eyes beginning to water. "I guess I wouldn't know… I've never given birth before… and I probably never will now…"

Anna suddenly felt terrible for exploding at her. She bent down and hugged Ceres.

"I'm sorry." Anna said. "Lately I've been a little on edge…"

"Can you tell me the whole story?" Asked Ceres. "About your mom… that man you loved… and why you're here now? I want to know…"

Anna straightened up and shut her eyes, and began to speak.

"I lived in a world that was recovering from a calamity… the entire population consisted of one big city and a few small towns… it was peaceful none the less… very little crime, but we had bigger problems…"

She proceeded to tell Ceres about the Heartless, Xehanort, Sephiroth and Radiant Garden. She told her about how she first fell in love with Sephiroth, the destruction of her world, her father's research. She spoke of Traverse town, Cloud, Leon, Yuffie, Aries, Tifa, Cid and Zack. She told Ceres about the tragedy at Nibelheim, about how she was following Sephiroth who, in turn, was following human tragedies in order to absorb the darkness that they release. She explained that darkness was born of sadness and regret in the heart. If that sadness is created by darkness then darkness is not created from it. Therefore Sephiroth could not create the tragedies; he had only to be there when they happened. The massacre of the three hundred Spartans and the mass death of the citizens of raccoon city were all examples of this. She also explained how she could follow him because of her ability to smell darkness and whoever was corrupted by it reeked of it. She also told Ceres about the infected dog in Raccoon City that bit her, and how the T-virus, mixed with Alucard's blood was causing a strange reaction that was turning her into some sort of werewolf. She explained how she came to obtain Nema and how she worked. When she finished her story Ceres looked positively shocked.

"No wonder you're so brave…" She said. "You've been through so much…"

"I wouldn't call it bravery…" said Anna. "More like stupidity…"

"That man… Sephiroth…" Said Ceres. "You must love him a lot… to follow him so far…"

"I don't know any more…" Said Anna. "At first I followed him because I couldn't bear the thought of losing him but now… all I want to do it stop him… and I don't care if I have to kill him to do that!"

"But you said he was the love of your life!" Said Ceres, impatiently.

"Was…" said Anna. "I don't know any more. He left me for dead Ceres! How can I forgive him? Even if he wasn't himself… I don't even know if there's a way to change him back… Love isn't as black and white as the storybooks would have you believe."

"Hmm…I suppose you're right…" Said Ceres.

"He still haunts me though…" Said Anna looking at the floor and shivering. "Despite all the ways he hurt me I'm still having trouble moving on…"

Ceres grinned.

"What?" Asked Anna.

"…nothing!" she giggled.

She jumped to her feet and grabbed a hair brush out of the drawer on her night stand. Then she walked over to the table and pulled out a chair.

"C'mere!" She said. "I'm gonna fix your hair!"

"Okay!" Said Anna feeling an elevation in her mood.

She sat in the chair and Ceres began to brush her hair.

They weren't there for five minutes before Walter walked into the room.

"Miss Victoria." He said. "Integra wishes to speak to you."

"Alright…" Said Ceres finishing Anna's hair. "I'll be right there."

Anna followed Ceres out of her room and stood in the hallway. When she and Walter had disappeared she slouched against the wall and let out a long low moan. She felt better now that she had opened up to someone, telling them everything that was happening to her… but Ceres had reminded her just exactly how much she was confused about her situation with Sephiroth. She didn't know what she felt for him anymore. She knew that if she had to she would willingly kill him… yet she couldn't picture herself doing it.

She sighed, raised her head, shut her eyes and absentmindedly began to sing.

_Lay down,  
__your sweet and weary head.  
__Night is falling.__  
You have come to journey's end.__  
_

_Sleep now,  
__and dream __of the ones who came before.__  
They are calling,  
__from across a distant shore._

_Why do you weep?  
__What are these tears upon your face?  
__Soon you will see.__  
All of your fears will pass away.  
__Safe in my arms,__  
you're only… _

Anna stopped suddenly when a she felt cool hand on her cheek. A soft voice spoke into her ear.

"Keep singing…"

Alucard was emerging from the wall behind her. His hand shifted from her cheek to under her chin. He moved around her to face her. His nose was inches from hers. She felt her blood rush to her cheeks. His hand started running through her hair.

"Alucard!" Anna said suddenly. "You're bleeding!"

She had just noticed the blood running down his face from his scalp.

"It's nothing." He said coolly.

"No its not!" said Anna pulling a handkerchief out of her pocket. She gingerly wiped the blood from Alucard's face. She could have sworn that the look on his face said he was enjoying it.

"How did you manage to do this?" She asked him.

"That doesn't matter…" Said Alucard pushing her handkerchief away. He leaned so close to her that their foreheads were touching. "Please keep singing…"

Anna closed her eyes and continued to sing softly while Alucard shut his eyes as well and listened.

_What can you see,__  
on the horizon?  
__Why do the white gulls call?_

_Across the sea,__  
a pale moon rises.  
__The ships have come,  
__to carry you home._

_And all will turn,  
__to silver glass.__  
A light on the water.  
__All souls pass.__  
_

_Hope fades,  
__Into the world of night._

_Through shadows falling,  
__Out of memory and time.  
__Don't say,  
__We have come now to the end._

_White shores are calling.  
__You and I will meet again.  
__And you'll be here in my arms,  
__Just sleeping,_

_What can you see,__  
on the horizon?  
__Why do the white gulls call?_

_Across the sea,__  
a pale moon rises.  
__The ships have come,to carry you home._

_And all will turn,  
__to silver glass.  
__A light on the water.__  
Grey ships pass__  
Into the West._

She finished and opened her eyes. Alucard remained inches from her face. Anna could feel his cool breath on her neck. They stood there, for hours it seemed before Alucard finally spoke.

"Are you afraid….?" He asked quietly.

"Of what?" Anna whispered back.

"Of a monster…"Alucard answered. "…like me…"

"You're not a monster." Said Anna placing her hand on his cheek.

Alucard grabbed her shoulders and pressed her roughly against the wall. Anna's heart was pounding so hard in her chest she was afraid Alucard could hear it. She couldn't stop shaking.

"If I'm not a monster…." He said softly into her ear. "Then why are you scared?"

"I'm not scared!" Said Anna but her quivering voice begged to differ.

Her head was swimming, her palms were cold and her knees went weak. Alucard grinned and moved in closer to her. His lips were centimeters away from hers when she felt a cold chill run down her spine and an image of Sephiroth flashed before her eyes. Almost involuntarily she put her hands on Alucard's chest and pushed him back.

"What's the matter?" he asked her in a low growl.

"I…" Anna stuttered, feeling her heart start to ache. It rose in her chest and made her eyes water. "I-I can't!"

She stumbled away from Alucard. He grabbed her arm but she shook him off. She ran down the corridor. As she did she heard Alucard give an angry growl. She felt the ache in her heart grow stronger. She ran up the stairs, through the entrance hall, and out to the castle grounds. She ran back to the top of the hill where she had met with Alucard when she first arrived there and fell to her knees.

She couldn't stand it. Sephiroth had always been kind and loving to her but he turned on her and fell into darkness. She was completely un-aware that something like that would happen so she let her guard down and, lo and behold, got her heart broken. Now Alucard treated her horribly all the time so she knew he would break her heart and she was _still_ letting her guard down. No matter how vicious he was to her whenever he was near her she felt like she was melting. This couldn't be right! It shouldn't be right. He was a bloodthirsty vampire… he desired slaughter and massacre, how could she ever have feelings for someone so vile? Why did she tell him he wasn't a monster when, clearly, he was? She couldn't be falling for him, she just couldn't!

She looked out over the hill and saw the sun beginning to rise. Its warm rays touched her tear-streaked face, making her feel, suddenly, calmer. She fell backwards into the grass, the morning breeze sweeping, gently, through the grass and over her body. The sunlight made Anna think about what Ceres had told her before. Alucard had gone out in broad daylight to see her… come to think of it… every physical action he performed for her was affectionate and kind. The words he spoke to her may have been saying one thing, but his actions said something completely different. He was always so tender with her… maybe that's why she couldn't think of him as a monster… no monster would possess such a soft, caring, touch… he could rip a full grown human being in half, but when he held her in those deadly arms she felt so safe…

Anna lay in the grass for a good long time. The sun was high in the sky before she deiced to make her way back to the castle. On her way back she noticed a patch of flowers at the bottom on the hill. She decided that her room was too stuffy so she picked a bouquet to decorate with. When she reached the front of the castle she saw a group of limousines parked there. Integra was standing outside the front doors with Walter. Important looking men in suits were exiting the limousines and being greeted by Integra. One man stopped on his way up to the entrance and turned to look at Anna. He smiled, nodded and continued back into the castle. Anna nodded back to him. When all the men had gone inside Integra turned to Anna and gave her a hard look.

"It's not polite to gawk at people like that." Integra said. "What have you been doing? You look like the bloody gardener!"

Anna looked down at her dress. It was scuffed with dirt. She was still holding the bouquet of flowers as well.

"O-oh…!" She stuttered. "I was just… picking some flowers for my room…"

Integra looked exasperated.

"The doctor in the hospital wing is looking for you." Said Integra. "You need to have those stitches removed…"

Anna had completely forgotten about the stitches in her shoulder.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Yes, right!"

She hurried past Integra into the castle, brushing the dirt off her dress.

"Oh and Miss Annaleah…" Said Walter as Anna passed them. "I left your new Hellsing uniform on the table in your room."

"My Hellsing uniform?" Anna asked.

"Since you proved your abilities in your previous mission you are now a fully fledged member of the Hellsing Organization." Said Integra. "Now that you are, you must wear a Hellsing uniform."

Anna didn't care for the uniforms very much. They were a dark yellow color and looked uncomfortable. Still, she might as well do as she was told…

"Alright." She said. "I'll put it on when I get back to my room."

She made her way to the hospital wing where the physician was waiting for her.

"It's not wise to abandon your hospital bed." He said. "Even if you feel fine you should wait until a doctor tells you that it is okay to leave…"

Anna took her jacket off.

"Just take the stitches out…" She grumbled, pointing to her shoulder.

The doctor gave her an irritated look and proceeded to remove the stitches as he was instructed. When that was finished, Anna grabbed a tall glass from one of the tables in the hospital wing, filled it with water, put her flowers into it and carried it down to her room. The flowers had already begun to wilt.

She put them on the table in her room. The Hellsing uniform was there, waiting for her. She undressed and put it on. The uniform consisted of a jacket with two breast pockets, a Hellsing crest on the arm and a pair of matching slacks. She kept her combat boots on. Anna was a little irritated that she didn't get a miniskirt like Ceres but she didn't mind being able to move more... the fabric of the uniform felt rough on her skin, she didn't like it. She unbuttoned the jacket for the time being and caught a look at herself in the mirror. She didn't look half bad… she went to her wardrobe, fished out a small black tank top and threw it on under the jacket. She kept the jacket unbuttoned and admired her new look in the mirror again. Yes, now she looked like a _real_ member of Hellsing.

She looked over at the flowers and noticed that they were wilting even more so than before. With a smack of her palm to her forehead she realized that they wouldn't be able to live there without sunlight in this basement. She sat down at the table, folded her arms upon it and rested her head upon them. With a long sigh she picked up a petal and examined it. She stared at her flours for a while, watching the petals fall to the wooden surface beneath them; watching the flowers die. It wasn't fair for those poor flowers. They were living happily until she came along and picked them… while contemplating this she was suddenly jerked out of her stupor hearing Ceres' elevated voice.

"WALTER!!" She shouted. "What the HELL is this THING?!"

Anna's curiosity got the better of her and she made her way to Ceres's room.

"That _thing_ you are referring to…" said Walter. "Is a coffin."

"I know!" Growled Ceres."Why is there a coffin in my bed room?!"

"Uh…" Walter stuttered under the wrathful gaze of the young woman. "It's here on orders from Sir Integra."

Anna leaned on the doorframe watching this humorous event take place.

"We can't have a vampire that doesn't sleep in a coffin…" Continued Walter nervously. "So there you are!"

"What have you done with my bed?!" snarled Ceres.

Walter straightened up and moved as far back as he could.

"I had it disposed of…" he said, bowing to Ceres slightly. "Of course…"

There was a moment of silence wherein Ceres looked as if she was going to explode. And moments later she did just that.

"AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!" She shrieked "WALLLLLTEERRRRRRRR!!!!"

Anna's ears were ringing.

"Fine." Said Walter glumly. "If it helps the orders were confirmed by Alucard as well!"

Ceres suddenly stopped seething and her face turned from rage to surprise.

"Master?" She said.

"Yes." Said Walter. "Since you're still refusing to drink blood like a proper vampire, you will slowly become weaker. You must now sleep in a coffin filled with the soil of your birthplace. This smallest of concessions is the only way to keep up your strength.

Ceres look at the floor.

"I take it your still feeling uncomfortable with the situation?" Asked Walter.

Ceres didn't reply.

Anna walked into the room.

"Ceres…" She said "You haven't been drinking any blood to keep up your strength?"

Ceres looked away from her.

"Would you drink human blood?" She asked Anna.

Anna didn't have time to respond. Alucard had walked into the room behind her and he was not pleased with the way Ceres was behaving.

"You're an idiot." He said to her.

Ceres gulped and looked at him.

"Master…" she said shakily

"You chose the night!" Growled Alucard. "Once you've turned your back on the light of day all that sunlight should ever mean to you is smoldering pain and a slow death!"

Alucard glanced in Anna's direction. Anna looked away from him and focused, instead, on a flower petal she brought from her room. She couldn't bear to look at him right now. She felt an unholy pain in the bottom of her heart from just being near him. She prayed that he wouldn't touch her or stare at her; otherwise she might lose it… Ceres approached her looking curiously at the flower petal that Anna seemed to have so much interest in. she got close to Anna's ear and whispered:"What's going on? The sexual tension in here is so thick you could slice it with a knife!"

Anna grabbed Ceres' hair and shook her angrily. Ceres yelped in pain.

"Will you be QUIET?!" Anna hissed into her ear.

"Sorry!" Mumbled Ceres.

Meanwhile Alucard and Walter were in the corner observing a brand new gun that Walter had just handed him out of a leather briefcase.

"Oh!" Said Alucard playfully. "What is this?"

"The Jackal!" Said Walter excitedly. "Custom thirteen millimeter anti-freak combat pistol! It fires custom made rounds! Far more powerful than the four-fifty-four casual rounds you're used to. Thirty-nine centimeters long… sixteen kilograms in weight, six rounds per magazine. The jackal has more firepower than any human can be expected to handle!"

"…and the rounds?" Asked Alucard, handling the Jackal with nothing short of glee.

"thirteen millimeter explosive shells!" Said Walter.

"Casings?"

"Pure Macedonian silver."

"…And the tips? Explosive or mercury?"

"Mercury tips… and they're already blessed."

"It's perfection, Walter!" Said Alucard, his malicious grin stretching from ear to ear.

"I'm pleased that you're pleased sir!" Said Walter with a courteous bow.

"I bet this beauty could even stop Father Anderson in his tracks…" Said Alucard admiring the gun some more.

Ceres had snuck up behind him and was murmuring words of awe at the gun.

"Omi-GOD master!" She said jumping about. "That's amazing!"

"Miss Victoria…" Said Walter, turning to another incredibly large case he had brought in. "I believe I have something special for you here as well…"

Ceres stopped jumping around Alucard and turned to Walter in excitement.

"The Harconan!" Said Walter holding up an enormous gun that was taller than he was. "A thirty millimeter Anti-freak CANNON! Designed to be used with depleted uranium shells and exploding incendiary shells. This weapon will destroy all but the most heavily armed of targets!"

Ceres looked as if she was afraid the cannon was going to eat her. Alucard approached Anna from behind and put his hands over her ears, surprising her.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!!!" Ceres shrieked at the top of her lungs, so loud Anna could have sworn she saw pebbles and dirt falling from the ceiling.

Now she was glad Alucard had covered her ears.


	3. Chapter 3

THE BLOODLUST CHAPTERS: #3

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This chapter contains a sex scene…

Please read with an open mind… if you are uncomfortable with it, you don't have to read it.

---------------------------------------------

"They're coming!"

"What?!" asked Anna looking around.

Everyone looked at her.

"No one said anything…" Said Ceres giving Anna a strange look.

"Great!" Said Anna angrily waving her arms in the air. "Now I'm hearing voices!"

Ceres walked over to Anna and touched her arm.

"Anna, do you need to lie down?"She asked.

"No I'm fine…" Said Anna massaging her forehead.

She had a small headache and her ears were ringing.

"Something's wrong…" Said Alucard looking up at the ceiling.

"You feel it too?" Asked Ceres turning to him.

Anna hurried to her room to grab her sword. On her way back to Ceres' room she heard gunshots erupting upstairs. The lights in her room and the corridor started flickering and for a moment looked as if they were going to go out. Luckily they managed to stay on.

"Guns!" She cried running into Ceres' room. "There are gunshots upstairs!"

"Yes we heard them as well…" Said Walter, who seemed unusually calm. He speaking with someone on the phone on Ceres' desk.

Ceres was running about the room nervously. Alucard was leaning against the wall in the corner, his usual grin in place. Anna unsheathed Nema and swung her through the air. Nema's wings flared to life.

"I'm going up there!" she said. "I want to know what's going on! …And we can't let Sir Integra get hurt!"

She turned around but before she could get a foot out the door Alucard had rushed up behind her and grabbed her arm.

"No." He said. "We must wait here until we have a plan of action.""But…" Anna started to object but Alucard angrily grabbed her by her collar and shook her.

"Don't be stupid!" He snarled. "We don't know what we are up against! What will you do if you go up there and find an entire army ready to kill YOU?"

Anna frowned and looked away from him. She was determined not to look him in the eyes. Alucard dropped her and she stumbled, catching herself on the doorframe.

"Fine…" She growled. "But how are we supposed to know what we're up against?!"

As soon as the words had left Anna's lips there was a beep on the phone Walter was tinkering with and an unfamiliar voice of a young man came out of the speaker on the dock.

"Ahem… hello? Is this think on? Cool! This message is going out to the round table conference! And a very personal and heartfelt shout out to the queen bitch herself Mrs. Hellsing! All RIGHT! Your ass is currently being kicked by the Valentine brothers! My name is Yan Valentine and I can't wait to meet each and every one of you! We'll be getting intimate as soon as me and the boys finish lunch… let me be the first to thank you for providing us with all these tasty snacks! By tomorrow Hellsing will be nothing but a pile of shit! You've got nowhere left to run and nowhere to hide cuz now I'm coming to kill you! I wanna see you cry and beg! In the meantime I highly recommend pissing yourself! Followed by a chorus of praying to your impotent god! But hey! There's always time to just be a man and kill yourself! Thank you LONDON! WE LOVE YOU! GOODNIIGHT!

"Oh that's nice…" Anna said sarcastically. "That kid thinks he's being funny?"

Alucard was looking absolutely disgusted. Anna remembered seeing a look on his face when he killed the two young vampires that tried to kill her. She knew he absolutely despised weak vampires that abused their power, and this young man sounded as if she fit the part perfectly. Moments later, Integra's voice came through the speaker. She sounded calm but Anna could tell she was suppressing an intense amount of rage.

"What's your position Walter?" she asked.

Walter picked up the hand set and replied:

"Miss Victoria's room in the Sub-Basement. I've already been brought up to speed on the current situation… outside communication has been cut off so I wouldn't expect re-enforcements for at least four hours… maybe five… In the meantime our current forces have been ordered to defend the conference room with their lives."

"What do you recommend?" Asked Integra.

"Well for starters…" Walter replied. "Please fortify the door to the conference room… since Alucard, Annaleah and Miss Victoria are all in the basement with me down in the sub-basement, I propose we divide into two teams. Alucard will head upstairs… Annaleah Miss Victoria and I will make our way to the conference room."

"How will you manage?" Asked Integra. "The hallway is full of ghouls…"

"How did you manage to find Alucard's cell ten years ago?" Asked Walter.

"The air ducts! Of course!" said Integra.

"…seems to be the best option at the moment. We'll be there shortly!" Said Walter. "Good luck!"

As he was hanging up the handset Integra spoke again.

"Walter…" she said. "These animals are eating my people! Show no mercy! DO NOT LET THEM LEAVE THE GROUNDS ALIVE!"

Walter hung up the phone and turned to Anna, Ceres and Alucard. He whipped his hand through the air and Anna saw near-invisible lengths of sliver wire wave from his fingertips.

"By your orders then, Sir Integra." He said.

"Oh!" Said Alucard happily. "Does Walter Dolneaz: the Angel of Death ride again?"

Ceres looked confused. She looked from Walter to Alucard and back again a few times.

"Come on!' she said. "What are you two talking about?!"

"You'll see soon enough!" Said Alucard.

"put the veteran and the rookie together and you may as well have one normal soldier." Said Walter.

He and Alucard chuckled to themselves.

"This could actually end up being fun!" Said Alucard.

"Hang on! Said Anna. "Shouldn't we split into two groups of two? Wouldn't it be better if I went with Walter and Ceres went with Alucard?"

"You'd think so…" Said Walter. "But Alucard can manage better on his own."

"You'd only be burden to me anyway…" Said Alucard looking at Anna and grinning.

"I didn't say me!" Anna snapped. "I said…"

"I know what you said…" Interrupted Alucard. "But you meant something else!"

With that, he vanished into thin air.

Anna gave an angry growl and clenched her fists.

"Anna!" Said Ceres, snickering. "Your face is all red!"

Anna let out a moan and planted her face in her hands.

"If you are quite done…" Said Walter. "I believe it is time for us to get moving!"

He had staked up a bunch of furniture making the air ducts more accessible.

"Ladies first!" He said with a flourish of his arm.

Ceres climbed into the air ducts first, carrying her new Harconan Cannon. She was closely followed by Anna. While they were in the ducts together Ceres looked around at Anna.

"Makes you wonder doesn't it?" She said.

"What?" Asked Anna.

"If there are any normal people working in this bloody place…"

They both snickered and began moving forward. It felt like they were crawling through the air ducts for hours before Walter told them to stop. They had reached the conference room. Anna could hear chitchat as well as one man having an emotional breakdown. Ceres knocked the vent down and squeezed through the opening first. She crash landed on one of the gentlemen in the room. The Harconan Cannon missed them by inches.

"Oh for god's sake…" Said Anna.

She slipped through the opening and swung herself down to the floor. Walter came down next, landing on the table with his hands and gracefully vaulting himself to his feet.

"Are you alright Miss Victoria?" He asked Ceres, who was having trouble getting to her feet.

"Ceres! Walter! Anna!" said Integra.

She looked thoroughly relieved.

"I do apologize for the delay…" Said Walter turning to face Integra.

"Hi…" Said Ceres nervously as Anna helped her to her feet.

"The Manor's defensive forces have been roundly decimated…" Said Walter, lighting Integra's cigar for her. "I don't know who armed and trained these creatures… but whoever did… is a tactical genius… they knew exactly how and where to hit us."

"Walter…" Said Integra. "Honestly… Do you think we're done for?"

"No." Said Walter. "Of course not. Compared with the sorts of trouble Van Hellsing faced a century ago… I think it's fair to say this hardly rates as a crisis. The plan is as follows Sir Integra… Alucard will intercept our attackers in the sub-level. Ceres, Annaleah and I will clear this floor. Your standing orders will be followed to the letter. I promise that not one of these Villains will ever see the light of day again…now with your permission sir… I believe it's time to give these young people… a proper lesson in violence!"

Integra smiled. Ceres was looking confused, as always.

"Let's go!" Said Walter "Miss Victoria, please bring that cannon with you…"

"Y-Yes sir!" Said Ceres, picking up her new weapon.

They three made their way into the hallway. Ceres set up her cannon behind the door of a room facing the only corridor that has access to the corridor leading to the conference room.

Anna and Walter waited outside the conference room for the sound of marching feet and ghoul cries. Anna summoned her Spartan Shield, just in case. Then she heard it. The sound of the young man Yan's voice she had heard before.

"Little Hellsing chickie!" he said tauntingly. "Were coming to fiiind you…. c'mon out and play little Hellsing! I promise it's gonna be a lot of fun! We just wanna torture you! Kill you… maybe skull fuck your corpse a couple of times… burn your house to the ground, go home and masturbate, okay?"

Anna was about to lunge forward but Walter held out his arm and stopped her. He walked forward and stood in front of the young man who was followed by a troupe of ghouls. Anna followed him and watched as he, with a single whip of his silver wires from his hand, took out the first two rows of ghouls and sliced the cigar that was in the young man's mouth. He had obviously stolen it from Integra's office. The young man was tall and thin, with tan skin, multiple piercings on his face and dark brown hair. He wore a blue track suit and a cap on his head that had an ornate looking eye on it.

"Oh dear…" Said Walter calmly. "Did I miss? I guess I'm not as spry as I used to be… My name is Walter C Dolneaz! Butler to the Hellsing family and former master vampire hunter!"

"FIRE!" Cried Yan, looking terrified.

The ghouls obeyed with a barrage of bullets. Anna leapt backwards but Walter sprang forward, dodging the bullets and whipping his silver wires through the air. Within seconds he had wrapped another handful of ghouls in the wires.

"…Bit on the slow side aren't they?" He said, this time he was the one with the taunting tone. "After all, a ghoul is just a ghoul…. In theory, threatening… certainly tenacious… but honestly they're quite a distance from indestructible or invincible…"

He pulled the wires and the ghouls he had entrapped fell to pieces. The young man was standing motionless, in shock. Walter approached him. Anna approached as well.

"I highly recommend pissing yourself…"Said Walter maliciously. "…Followed by a chorus of praying to your impotent god…"

Yan suddenly burst out laughing.

"Now that's fucking great!" He said excitedly. "Cuz I gotta tell ya, plowing through you people was really starting to bore the FUCK out of me!

He snapped his fingers and the ghouls formed a barricade around him.

"Oh my!" Said Walter, more amused than scared.

The ghouls readied their weapons and began to move forward.

"Annaleah, Miss Victoria… now would be a good time for some support!" Said Walter.

"RIGHT!" Ceres called from behind them.

"I'm on it!" Said Anna.

She leaped forward and swung her Spartan shield so hard it knocked the first ghoul it came in contact with clean over. Anna plunged Nema directly though the ghoul's swat shield and into its heart. Ceres fired a round from her Harconan cannon and took out an entire row of ghouls. Anna leapt into the air and, through a forward flip, speared two more ghouls through the heart with Nema. She leapt up and sliced through the rest of the row of ghouls in front of her.

"Fall back Anna!" Said Walter.

Anna obeyed and leapt backwards to Walter's side.

"Second volley!" Walter cried to Ceres. "Fire an incendiary round with the VT fuse straight through their center ranks!"

"Yes Sir!" Ceres called back.

She reloaded and aimed the cannon at the ghouls. Yan's eyes widened.

"Oh FUCK YOU!" he screamed.

Ceres fired. There was an explosion and Anna saw Yan leap up through the mess and fire his weapons at Walter. He laughed hysterically while doing so.

"Like that?!" he snarled. "You old fuck!"

He was about to fire again but something stopped him. When the smoke cleared, Anna saw one of Walter's wires had snagged one of Yan's lip rings. He pulled and the lip ring ripped out of its place. Yan spat the blood from his lip onto the floor.

"OWW!!!" He screamed, pointing his guns at Walter again. "DIE!"

Anna leapt forward and delivered a high kick to Yan's face. As he stumbled in pain Anna disarmed him by roundhouse kicking his weapons and they flew through the air. Ceres ran up behind him, tackled him to the ground and held his arms at a position that made him immobile.

"I've got him Walter!" She shouted. "Are you alright?!"

Yan struggled under her grip and growled:"Get off bitch! I'm supposed to be on top!"

Walter got to his feet and turned to look at Ceres.

"I think I'm starting to feel my age…" he said approaching Ceres. "That is quite an Impressive hold… Where did you learn it?"

"Well…" Said Ceres. "I was a police officer once…"

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME, YOU FUCKING VAMPIRE SLUT!" Yan shrieked. "Is this chick the best you got? No wonder you all went down like a fucking bunch of pussies…"

"…And yet look who's got the upper hand right now…" Said Anna poking Yan in the nose. He glared at her.

"I'll be asking the questions!" said Walter angrily. "What is the objective of this attack?!Who are you taking orders from?!"

"Me?" Said Yan. "I'm just a tourist! I was passing by… totally minding my own business and thought I'd have a look! So we cool, dude?"

Walter replied by stomping on Yan's hand.

"Young man…" he said. "The left one's next!

Yan growled.

"We were following orders alright?!" he snarled. "We were told to attack the Hellsing headquarters and kill everyone we found inside! We were supposed to confirm the deaths of the round table… and your pet vampire!"

"Hold on…" Said Walter. "You're not the only one in charge here? Who else?!"

Yan laughed.

"Wow! You're quick!" He said. "Right now, big brother Valentine is downstairs beating Alucard into a carpet stain!"

Something stirred inside Anna. She knew he must have been exaggerating but the thought of Alucard actually losing a fight… and dying… Ceres looked worried as well.

"Alucard…" Anna murmured.

Suddenly nothing mattered any more, suddenly she didn't care what happened to Integra or the men at the round table… she had to go after Alucard… she didn't want to lose him… she hadn't felt this way about anybody since Sephiroth, she knew now what her heart wanted and she wouldn't let it be broken again. She returned her Spartan shield to its crest on Nema's hilt and dashed down the hall.

"Miss Anna!" Cried Walter. "Stop!"

Anna made her way down the hallway for a few minutes before she saw another horde of ghouls ahead of her. These ghouls were bloody, unorganized and not heavily armed. Anna felt her heart sink when she saw the Hellsing Crest on their uniforms. They were all the Soldiers that Yan and his ghouls had slaughtered earlier. She didn't want to fight them and didn't have the time. With a few clean sweeps of Nema she carved a path through the ghouls. They didn't seem to even take notice of her. They were probably fixated on getting to Yan. She didn't care. She had to get to Alucard.

She ran from bloodstained corridor to bloodstained corridor, leaping over dismembered corpses and pool after pool of blood. Her heart was pounding faster and faster with each moment that passed by. Through the entrance hall, through another corridor, down the stairs, down more stairs. She heard an inhuman roar from somewhere below her. She felt her stomach and chest grow cold. She ran down another flight of stairs. She had never been down this far but there was only one door at the end of the corridor. That had to be it. She ran to it, pushed it open and began to descend a stone, spiral staircase. When she neared the bottom, she froze. Keeping herself concealed in the shadows she watched as the most horrible thing she had ever seen come to life before her very eyes. A blonde haired man in a white tuxedo was at the bottom of the stairs, his legs were ripped off… but that wasn't the most gruesome sight.

"WHAT ARE YOU?" Screamed the man. "WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Alucard stood in the middle of the hallway, or… _something _stood there anyway… his whole body was veiled in black, there was black smoke surrounding him and millions of eyes within the smoke and all over Alucard's body, including a single enormous one in the center of his chest. Each eye was watching the man writhing in pain on the floor. There was, also, what appeared to be an enormous, menacing black dog forming out of Alucard's body. Anna could barely see his face, just his eyes, red and glowing menacingly. She could almost feel the demonic presence crawling all over the walls and floor, like thousands of millipedes. She was too frightened to move.

"Come on!!" Alucard shouted. "GET UP! ATTACK ME! You've only suffered the loss of your legs! Summon up your familiars, transform your body! HEAL YOUR SEVERED LEGS AND STAND!

Anna saw Alucard holding one of the man's missing legs in one hand. With one swift motion he crushed it to a bloody mess.

"The evening is still so young!" he continued to shout, a look of near insanity upon his face. "Come on! Hurry. Hurry! HURRY! Pull yourself together! The fun has just begun! HURRY!"

The man shook his head and screamed:

"MONSTER!"

Alucard's grin vanished. He looked at the man with pure hatred in his eyes. The black smoke seemed to fade a little.

"So…" He said. "I see you for what you really are! You're pathetic! Nothing but a useless sniveling lump of meat!"

"Shut up!" The man screamed. "You're nothing but the Hellsing family toy! A dog for the Church of England not even fit to call himself a vampire! A…"

"SILENCE!" Alucard roared. "I'm a dog? Then you're dog food!"

As he said this, the dog from Alucard's body lunged forth, barking and bearing its fangs. The man screamed and turned to look up the stairs, his eyes met with Anna's he reached out a hand. Anna looked away and shut her eyes. She heard him cry out one last time then was silenced as she felt his blood spatter her cheek, the dog roared triumphantly as it feasted on its prey. Anna opened her eyes in time to see it chomp down the last bit of the man's body.

"Is that really all you had…?" Alucard Said to the pool of blood at the bottom of the stairs. "Such a shame I overestimated you… as a vampire you were just a pathetic piece of shit…now you're nothing but dog shit…"

Anna stood there in silence, unsure if she should even move. She didn't know if he knew she was there or not but his next words answered her question.

"Well?" Said Alucard. "What do you think? I thought you weren't afraid of monsters… even ones like me! You even said I _wasn't_ a monster, do you think so now?"

He was right. She wouldn't allow herself to be afraid. Without thinking she stepped out of the shadows and approached him. The dog still stood there growling and bearing its blood soaked teeth. She was not afraid of the wolf, she would not be afraid of a dog! She reached out her hand and placed it on the dog's head. Alucard's eyes widened. She stroked the dog's cold smoke-like fur between its ears. The dog stopped growling, it looked at Anna. She couldn't tell what was in its eyes. She continued to pet the ferocious beast. She realized that she didn't feel threatened by it at all. The dog faded away, as did the rest of the black smoke, eyes and the demonic presence. All that was standing there was Alucard. He had no grin on his face. He seemed almost shocked.

Anna suddenly realized what it was about Alucard that she never was able to put her finger on… despite his maliciousness, despite how sadistic and bloodthirsty he was, she smelled no darkness on him. He was not corrupted by darkness. He still had a pure heart… no matter how buried it was in his love of killing.

"I said it before…" said Anna approaching him. "And I'll say it again… You're not a monster… you care about people even though you don't like to show it… you don't follow a selfish cause… and you don't take innocent lives…"

Alucard stretched out his hand and placed it upon Anna's cheek. His eyes stopped glowing; they were fixed on her, unblinking.

"I don't know what to say…" he said in a low tone. "This is the first time in a long time someone has ever told me something like that…"

Anna suddenly remembered that she had left Walter and Ceres upstairs alone with Yan and a horde of ghouls.

"Oh god!" She said "I have to go make sure the others are okay!"

She attempted to turn around and run back upstairs but Alucard grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"They're fine…" He said. "Don't go…"

Anna turned back to face Alucard. He still wasn't smiling. His eyes were wide and there was a mixture of anticipation and determination on his face. There was a moment of silence. Then he grabbed Anna's shoulders and pushed her against the dungeon wall. He headed for her neck Anna panicked, thinking he was going to bite her but instead the only thing she felt was his lips, slowly and tenderly kissing her neck in various places. He moved down to her chest then up to her cheeks and forehead. Anna felt as if she was becoming limp in his arms all over again. Her palms had gone cold and she was trembling once again as well. He was mere centimeters from her lips when Anna saw Sephiroth's face and felt the familiar chill down her spine. She instinctively pushed him away again. He gave an aggravated groan.

"What?" He asked angrily. "What is it? Why do you taunt me like this?!"

"I'm sorry…" Said Anna, her heart began to ache again.

Even her heart knew she wanted Alucard… why couldn't she let him in?

"It's that man isn't it?" Asked Alucard giving her a hard look. "The man who's name you were shouting when I found you half dead on the road!"

"Alucard…" Said Anna. "You have to understand…I loved him for such a long time…"

"He left you to die!" Alucard said, raising his voice. "You need to understand that your old life is gone Anna! You're here now whether you want to be or not, and you're never going to leave! You'll never be able to adjust to life here if you never let go of your past! You'll be unhappy for the rest of your life and you'll never move on!"

"Wait how did you know…?" Anna started.

"About where you really come from?" Alucard interrupted. "I snuck a taste of your blood the night I found you, remember? It wasn't enough to tell me a lot… but it told me enough about where you came from and why you're here. It's a shame but you're never going back now!"

Images of Cloud, Cid, Zack, Aries, Yuffie, Leon, Merlin, Yen Sid, and the rest of her old friends flashed through Anna's mind. She came to the sudden realization that she would never see them again… she felt agony overcome her heart. Her eyes welled up with tears. She broke away from Alucard and ran as fast as she could out of the dungeon, to the sub-basement and into her room. She shut the door, locked it, shut the lights off and jumped into her bed.

This wasn't the first time she left everything behind… this wasn't the first time she had to start all over… she was tired of it, tired of having to rebuild her life over and over again… she couldn't do it… she missed her friends back in Traverse town… she missed Cloud… she couldn't bear to think what he was doing without her… and she missed her father… she couldn't even remember what his voice sounded like… all her memories of him were growing hazier and hazier… would that happen to everyone she left behind? Would she forget Leon's cool demeanor, Aries' sweet voice, or Zack's cunning remarks?

Anna got off her bed. She turned her bedside lamp on, opened her wardrobe and slipped into a nightgown. She walked past her table and looked at her flowers. They were almost completely dead now… she picked up a petal and brushed it across her lips… such soft innocence taken away so easily, never to return… she tossed the petal back on the table and collapsed back into her bed.

She turned the lamp off. Then she buried her face in her pillow and wept. She was so tired of crying but she couldn't stop… she was a full grown woman and she couldn't control her emotions… she even made herself sick. She closed her eyes and, once again, cried herself to sleep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet…"

"He's right you know…"

"I know… I just…"

Anna reached out her hand and scratched the wolf between the ears.

"If I had never left…" She said. "I wouldn't be stuck here… and I wouldn't hate myself so much…"

The wolf turned and looked at her. She was a beautiful creature; Anna didn't understand why she didn't see it before… her fur was pure white and billowed gracefully in the tundra wind. She had a bright orange stripe that started on her muzzle and glided over her head and down her back, eventually fading into white.

"You followed your heart Anna…" said the wolf. "If you hadn't… I wouldn't have found you… every outcome has a good and bad side to it… if you had stayed in traverse town you would have been miserable and regretted not finding out what happened to Sephiroth."

"Just who are you anyway…?" Anna asked, laying back into the snow.

"You'll find out soon enough…" Said the wolf.

"What have you turned me into?" Anna asked. "I don't want to be some freak werewolf…"

"You're not a werewolf…" said the wolf. "That dog bite you received in Raccoon City had a different role than you think…"

Anna let out an exasperated sigh.

"I don't get this at all…" she said.

"You were Immune to the T-Virus's negative effects because I was forced to enter your body and stimulate the Immunity… you were not like Alice at all…"Said the wolf. "Since then you have become my vessel… whenever you are in a certain receptive state… like when you are emotionally fragile or in serious danger I can take over your body and lend you my power. What you need to learn is how to gain control over me so you can wield my power freely. If you do so you will be near indestructible!"

"But…" Anna said sitting up. "What about what happened when Alucard gave me his blood? And why did you want to help me?"

"You chose me Anna…" Said the wolf. "…And the incident with Alucard's blood was similar to that with the T-Virus. I provided protection from it turning you into a ghoul but allowed it to give you some of his vampiric strengths…"

"Why do you keep testing me?" Asked Anna. "Why do you keep threatening me and…"

"I haven't lately have I?" The wolf interrupted. "I wanted to know if you had the courage to use my power… now that you have proved you are brave enough, you need only to gain control over me…"

"But…" Anna protested. "I didn't want this! I don't want to use your power… I hardly feel human enough as it is!"

"I told you Anna…" Said the wolf, getting to her feet. "You chose this path… if you don't learn to control me you will continue to be tormented by my power… each time you unleash me without having control over me, your body will become weaker and weaker until you are torn apart."

"I didn't choose this!" Anna cried angrily. "I think I would remember if I wanted to have my humanity compromised by a demon wolf!"

"I am not a demon…" Said the wolf, beginning to walk away.

"Then what are you?!" Anna snapped jumping to her feet.

"I told you…" Said the wolf. "You'll find out soon enough…"

Anna wanted to follow the wolf but she had vanished in the whirling snow. There was also a strange red light dancing in and out of her line of vision. She swatted at it. It dodged out of the way of her fingers. She swatted at it again, it was starting to annoy her. Again it dodged her. With an angry growl she lunged forward in an attempt to catch it and, instead, sat up in bed.

The red light was still hovering above her. It moved away from her a few feet and stopped. She stared at it. It moved a few inches and stopped again. Anna realized that whatever this light was, it wanted her to follow it. She slipped out of her bed and approached it. The light danced out of her way and to the door. Anna walked to the door. The light passed through it to the other side. Anna opened her door and looked down the hall. It was near the stairs. She walked to the stairs. The light disappeared up the stairwell. Anna followed it up the stairs, through a few corridors and through a pair of enormous doors she had never been through before. The halls were clean and everything was quiet. Anna figured that the mess from earlier had finally been cleaned up, although she could still see some blood stains on the walls here and there. She pushed the doors open and gasped.

Behind the doors was an elegant ballroom. It was a rectangular room with large black marble pillars lining the walls. The room was two floors in height and on the back wall was an enormous two story window. Anna could see the stars from that window… and the beautiful gardens behind the castle lit in the moonlight. The room itself was lit up just barely by more small red lights floating around the walls. A dark figure stood in the center of the ballroom. Anna could hear music playing somewhere inside. She didn't want to walk in wearing nothing but her nightgown so she stayed behind one of the doors, peering around it. Then she heard Alucard's voice from inside the ballroom.

"Are you going to make me wait here all night?"

"What are you…?" Anna began but a mysterious force suddenly propelled her inside and the doors shut behind her.

The red light that had led her there flew down towards her. It suddenly grew brighter and brighter. Anna shielded her eyes and she felt a sudden change in what she was wearing. The light faded away and Anna looked at herself. She was wearing a large, beautiful ball dress. The base material of the gown was red silk, lined with black silk underneath. The top piece of the gown was a black corset and underneath it was the red silk top of the dress that just barely covered her breasts enough. She was also wearing long black gloves lined with black lace. Her hair had even been restored to its most prominent state right after Ceres styled it.

Alucard approached her from the shadows. He wasn't wearing his usual black tuxedo and red overcoat. He was wearing a different long black tuxedo with long coat tails, a red vest and matching black, pressed pants. He looked… almost human… his hair was still wild and untamed, though. Although, she had to admit he looked a lot better without his silly hat on…

The music in the ballroom grew louder as he drew closer to her.

"What is all this?" Anna asked, in near disbelief.

Alucard grabbed her arm with one hand and put his other on her back. He drew her in so close to him there was no room between them. Anna looked up into his eyes. He grinned. This time, though, Anna could see affection and sincerity in his face.

"I realized that the main reason you keep distancing yourself from me is because of how rudely I have been treating you…" He said. "So I decided to make it up to you… just you… me… and this blood-soaked night… we'll dance until the sun rises."

"No…" Anna said. "Alucard… you were right… I…"

Alucard put his fingers to her lips.

"Shh…" he whispered. "We've spoken enough… no more damage… just dance…"

He swung Anna around.

"…But Alucard!" she protested. "I don't know how to dance!"

"It's easy." He said. "Just follow my lead."

Anna looked down at his feet and tired to follow them. He was right… it was easy! She was gracefully gliding across the ballroom floor in no time.

"You're a natural." Alucard murmured into her ear.

"No offense Alucard…" Said Anna. "But you never struck me as the type to do something so romantic like this…"

"You'll find I'm full of surprises…" Said Alucard playfully.

He swung her around and dipped her so low she could feel her hair brushing the floor. She shut her eyes. He swung her back up quickly and it made her feel dizzy. She opened her eyes and found her face so close to Alucard's that their noses were practically touching. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. He grinned and swung her around again.

"Hold on tight…" He said.

Anna looked down and cried out. They were dancing on thin air, and they were rising higher and higher with each step. It felt strange… every step she could feel her feet on solid ground… but there was none below her. They eventually were so high up Anna lost control of her fear. She stopped dancing and clung to Alucard for dear life. She buried her face in his chest, not wanting to look down anymore. Alucard chuckled and wrapped her in his arms. Anna felt something strange. Alucard's chest was warm, yet something was wrong…

"Alucard…" Anna murmured. "You feel… sad…"

"What?" Alucard asked pulling away from her slightly.

"Your heart…" Said Anna. "It's… in pain…"

Alucard frowned and looked away from her.

"Understand one thing…" He said. "Having eternal life has cursed me with very little happiness… but when you live this long… you learn to accept the pain as a part of yourself."

Anna put her hands on Alucard's cheeks.

"Has working for Hellsing given you this pain?" She asked.

"That is a long and complicated story…" Said Alucard. "Anyone who has lived as short of a life as you would never understand…"

"I see…" said Anna bringing her hands back around to Alucard's back and resting her head on his chest again. "I won't pretend to know what it's like to live for such a long time… but… maybe you're right about accepting pain as a part of yourself… I think…. I think that's what I've needed to do all along…"

Alucard pushed her away slightly again but this time he lifter her so she was face to face with him. Anna could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks again. This time she wouldn't let herself push him away, this time Sephiroth would not stop her from showing how she felt about Alucard… she shut her eyes braced herself.

At first Alucard only touched his lips to hers slightly. It was barely a breath of a kiss, but before Anna could even react he pulled her into a tight embrace and pressed his lips to hers, then their mouths opened and Anna allowed his tongue to intertwine with hers. The feeling she experienced then and there made her feel positively exhilarated. His hand running through her hair, his tongue seeking out every corner of her mouth, the bright moonlight shining through the two story window… there was nothing in the universe that could replace this moment… her heart fluttered weightlessly in her chest.

Alucard broke away from her just slightly.

"Hang on…" he murmured.

Anna gasped. They had started to fall through the air. She cried out and clutched Alucard in terror. They fell faster and faster. Then, as they were about to hit the floor, a gaping hole opened up beneath them and they fell through it. For a few moments they were rushing through cold blackness. Soon they slowed down, and Anna felt her feet hit solid ground. She looked around. They had somehow warped to her bedroom. Anna's dress had vanished and she was wearing her nightgown again.

"Alucard…" She said "what are you…?"

Before she could finish her sentence Alucard swept her up in his arms. He carried her to her bed and gently laid her upon it.

"Would you forgive me…" he whispered, leaning down touching his forehead to hers. "…If I took you here and now?"

"Do it…" Anna whispered "Make me yours!"

Alucard grinned. He gently slipped Anna's nightgown from her body. He subjected her to a flurry of kisses that started at her naval and ended on her neck. As he did this his own clothes seemed to melt away from his body into the darkness that surrounded them. His tall lanky body was more muscular than Anna had imagined. It wasn't an awkward musculature either, it fit his form perfectly. His skin bore neither sweat nor grease, it was beautifully smooth. He pressed his body against hers.

"You're so warm…" Anna whispered as he ran his hands along the curvature of her torso.

Alucard pressed his lips against hers. The passion inside Anna was rising like boiling lava in a volcano. She grasped Alucard's back tightly with both hands, digging her fingernails into his flesh. This act seemed to stir a fire in Alucard. He broke away from her lips and began licking her chest and neck like a hungry animal. Anna let out a small passionate moan. Alucard pinned her arms to the bed.

"Hold still!" he murmured.

He opened his mouth. Anna could see his fangs bared. She panicked.

"No!" she cried. "Alucard! Don't!"

He ignored her. He clasped Anna's neck in his jaws. Anna braced herself for the worst. But he didn't bite down… his teeth rested on her skin but did not break it. He laughed quietly. Anna shut her eyes as she felt his hands gently part her legs and penetrate her. She gasped and began to breathe quicker and quicker. With each breath her breasts heaved up and down. Alucard's body began moving, gently at first but then his motions grew faster and rougher. Anna opened her eyes again. With each thrust of his body she gasped and groaned more passionately.

No matter how rough Alucard's motions became, though, his jaw's grip on her neck neither tightened nor loosened. Anna's moans soon became cries. She clasped the sheets of her bed in her hands so tightly she could feel the fabric tearing. With every moment Anna could feel the passion inside her rising higher and higher. Alucard wasn't just making love to her, he was dominating her. What little tender sweetness he had was gone but it didn't matter, Anna was already so intoxicated she would take anything he gave her. He was ready to rip her to shreds and relished every minute of it. He held her there, on the boarder of pure wrath for what must have been an hour, but to Anna it felt much shorter.

Finally, she couldn't hold it back anymore and gave one last loud scream as Alucard unleashed his vampiric fury into her womb. He gave a single final grunt and released Anna from his jaws, withdrawing from her.

He passed his tongue over the spot where his teeth had been and unpinned her arms from the mattress. Anna placed her hands on his cheeks and began kissing his face in various places. Once she had caught her breath she laid, weakly, back onto her bed. Alucard kissed her forehead, her neck and then her breasts before he too lay back, next to her, on her bed.

"The sun is almost up…" He said. "I have to go to sleep…"

He stood up. Within moments his body was covered in dark smoke then it faded away and he was completely clothed in his usual black tuxedo and red overcoat. Anna didn't say anything. She rolled over and covered herself with her blankets. Her whole body and mind was still recovering from the thralls of passion she experienced only moments earlier.

"Promise me something Anna…" Said Alucard, quietly.

"Mmm…?" Anna grunted rolling over to look at him. His back was turned to her.

She looked over his tall form with nothing less than pure affection. She finally was able to fulfill what her heart wanted. In fact, her heart still wanted him so badly it ached just to see him leave.

"Promise me… that you will cherish your mortality…" he said.

Anna sat up but before she could answer he had vanished.

"Alucard…" She murmured.

She looked down at her hands. There was a moment when she saw the wolf's claws there. She blinked and they vanished.

"I would cherish it…" she mumbled to herself. "But… what if… I've already lost it…?"

She sighed and curled back up under her covers.

"Well…" She said to herself. "No going back now…"

She closed her eyes and entered the tundra once more. This time, however, the wolf did not come. She stood there, the cold wind whipping her hair across her face, wondering what this meant.

"You claim to not want my power…" Said the wolf's voice, suddenly. "Yet you continue to allow yourself to be violated… would you rather suffer a slow and painful death?"

Anna whirled around. She still couldn't see the wolf… where was she?

"What do you mean?" She shouted. "Alucard didn't violate me!"

"Those blessed with my influence should never fraternize with servants of hell itself!"Said the wolf. "Alucard is the worst sort of tainted souls. I thought you learned your lesson when you received his blood!"

Anna remembered the searing pain she felt when his blood entered her wounds…

"My father taught me something a long time ago…" She said. "He told me…hearts are unpredictable… I have feelings for Alucard even though I never wanted them… I'm tired of hurting, I'm sick of crying, and I'm not abandoning anyone anymore! I'm going follow my heart and stay with Alucard no matter what!"

"You're making a mistake…" Said the wolf. "No matter what you want to believe he will eventually hurt you, and then you are going to regret ever falling for him…"

"You give him too little credit!" Anna said turning about, still trying to locate the wolf.

"…And you give him too much…"Said the wolf.

It was at this point that Anna realized that the words of the wolf were coming from her own mouth. She did a double take and looked at herself. Shehad become the wolf. She was standing on four legs, her skin was covered in flowing white fur and she even had the wolf's muzzle. She backed up, shaking her head. _No… no… this couldn't be happening!_

"The more you let him inside you…" Said the wolf through her mouth. "The less control you will have over me… and the more pain and suffering you will have to endure."

Anna stopped panicking and calmed herself. She wouldn't let the wolf get to her.

"I will endure it …" She said. "For him…"

"A foolish choice…" Said the wolf.

"ENOUGH!" Anna screamed.

She looked down. She had somehow transformed back into herself. Now she stood alone and naked in the middle of a tundra.

She awoke moments later. There was someone knocking on her door.

"Hang on!" She shouted.

She threw her nightgown back on and ran to the door. She opened it a crack and saw Ceres standing on the other side. She looked paler than usual and practically heartbroken.

"Ceres!" Anna cried, swinging the door open fully.

"Can I… sleep in your room today…?" She asked, not making eye contact with Anna. "I… I can't sleep…"

"What's wrong?" Asked Anna letting Ceres in and closing the door behind her.

"You left before…"Ceres began. "Before…I… I… killed…all those Hellsing soldiers…"

"You mean the ghouls?"Anna Asked.

Ceres planted her face in her hands.

"They had families…" She said. "They weren't alone like us… they had lives… now they are all gone… we're the only ones left!"

"Wait!" Anna said. "Who's left?!"

"You, me, master, Walter and Sir Integra…"

"You mean… everyone else…"

"…Is dead!" Ceres moaned.

Anna looked down in disbelief.

"I can't believe this…" She murmured. "I mean… I knew there were casualties but… _everyone_…"

She sat on her bed and stared at the floor. Ceres climbed in bed behind her and wrapped herself in Anna's comforter.

"Sir Integra is holding a mass funeral tomorrow…" Said Ceres. "I don't think I can handle it… I killed a lot of them…"

"Why did you kill them?" Anna asked.

"They were about to kill me and… I lost control…" Said Ceres. "God knows what I would have done if sir Integra hadn't stopped me!"

Anna turned and wrapped her arms around Ceres.

"You did what you had to…" Said Anna. "I'm sure their families would be glad to know they didn't suffer long…"

This didn't seem to cheer Ceres up too much. She brought her knees to her chest and buried her face in them.

Anna lay down on her back.

"What happened to you last night?" Asked Ceres. "You ran off… after you heard about master…"

"I… I don't know what came over me…" Said Anna. "I should have known he could have taken care of it…"

"You're in love!" Said Ceres, Anna spotted a grin behind her knees.

"L…love? Don't be silly!" Anna stammered. "I'm not in love…."

"Oh come on!" Said Ceres, she finally seemed to be happily distracted. "You're positively glowing… and you've been sighing a lot all week!"

"That's silly!" Said Anna looking away. "I'll admit there are some feelings between myself and Alucard but… _love_?"

Ceres snickered and buried herself in Anna's covers.

"Just go to sleep…" said Anna irritably "you need your strength and Alucard would kill me if he found out you weren't in your _coffin_!"

As she said the word coffin she was forced to stifle a laugh.

"I don't like sleeping in that thing!" Ceres growled. "I tried… it's stuffy and it makes me claustrophobic…"

"You'll get used to it…" Said Anna. "After all… you are a vampire…"

Ceres grumbled and turned away from her. Anna couldn't hear what she was saying exactly but she was able to make out the words: try, bloody, and vampire. Anna herself was still sleepy so she yanked some of her covers away from Ceres, cuddled up in them and drifted back off to sleep.


End file.
